Nottingham Forest vs Wolverhampton Wanderers. Sky Bet Championship.
The City GroundAttendance25,756.
Friday 15 September 2017 14:07, UK
Nottingham Forest boss Mark Warburton will probably have an unchanged squad for the visit of Wolves.
David Vaughan (groin), Matty Cash (ankle) and Jamie Ward (calf) are all edging close to a return from injury but Saturday's clash looks like it will come just too soon for the trio.
Forest's strength in depth is such that Michael Mancienne has not been included in the squad for the last two matches but the defender will be eager to be involved against his former club. Warburton has options should he wish to make changes and the likes of Barrie McKay, Zach Clough, Mustapha Carayol and Jason Cummings could come into the team.
Wolves remain without Helder Costa but the forward is closing in on a comeback after surgery on his ankle in July. They are missing Willy Boly with the defender still battling a hamstring injury and is expected to miss the next couple of weeks.
Romain Saiss is pushing to return after starting on the bench for the 3-3 draw against Bristol City on Tuesday which denied Wolves the chance to move into the top two in the Sky Bet Championship. Barry Douglas has not featured for the last four games, since Wolves' 2-1 defeat at Cardiff, with no reason given for his exclusion.
Forest are winless in their last five league games against Wolves (D2 L3) since a 3-0 win in November 2014.
Wolves have only lost two of their last 11 visits to the City Ground in all competitions (W4 D5) and are unbeaten in their last three (W2 D1).
Barrie McKay has been involved in six goals in his first seven league matches for Nottingham Forest (two goals, four assists); his two goals have been scored at the City Ground, while his four assists have all been away from home.
Meanwhile, Wolves' Leo Bonatini has been involved in five league goals (three goals, two assists) but all of these goals have been in matches played at Molineux - he is yet to score or assist in three matches away from home for Wolves.
Wolves have conceded three goals in the last 15 minutes of Championship games this season, with only Sunderland and opponents Forest conceding more (4).
Things were starting to take a downward turn at Nottingham Forest until their late win at Sunderland in midweek, a result that would have hugely lifted the spirits of Mark Warburton and Co.
It looked like Wolves may have walked the division at one stage, but their draw at home to Bristol City proved just how tough the Sky Bet Championship is, and I think they'll be held to another point here.
Prutton predicts: 2-2 (12/1 with Sky Bet)
