Nottingham Forest vs Swansea preview
Thursday 28 March 2019 18:15, UK
Nottingham Forest have striker Lewis Grabban available for Swansea's visit to the City Ground.
Grabban has missed five games for play-off-chasing Forest with an Achilles injury and was able to step up his fitness during the international break.
Matty Cash is also fit after his own Achilles problem, but Sam Byram (knee), Michael Dawson (hamstring) and Michael Hefele (Achilles) are not quite ready to return. Portuguese defender Tobias Figueiredo has returned to training after suffering a blood clot in his leg, but is still some way from making his first appearance for Reds boss Martin O'Neill.
Swansea welcome back top goalscorer Oli McBurnie after illness. McBurnie missed Swansea's three games before the international break, including the FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Manchester City, but the 18-goal marksman did start Scotland's Euro 2020 qualifying defeat to Kazakhstan last week.
Defender Joe Rodon is in contention for the first time since breaking his foot in January, but Leroy Fer (hamstring) remains out and is to have a scan to determine when he is likely to return.
-up goalkeeper Erwin Mulder is likely to miss the rest of the season after breaking a finger, so young German Steven Benda will understudy Kristoffer Nordfeldt.
Opta stats
Nottingham Forest are unbeaten in their last five home league games against Swansea (W3 D2), although this will be the first such meeting since September 2010 (3-1).
Swansea have failed to score in six of their last 10 league games against Nottingham Forest, managing just two victories in this run (D5 L3).
Nottingham Forest's Joe Lolley is one of just three Championship players to have attempted 100 shots in the division this season (102 in total), along with Teemu Pukki and Neal Maupay; Lolley has found the net with one of his last 30 shots at goal, a penalty against Hull.
Swansea have lost six of their last seven away league matches in March (W0 D1 L6) since winning 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium against Arsenal in March 2016.
Nottingham Forest manager Martin O'Neill has never lost against Swansea City in a league clash (P5 W2 D3 L0) - his only defeat against the Swans came in the Football League Trophy in March 1994 with Wycombe Wanderers.
Swansea have lost four of their six matches in all competitions when Oliver McBurnie hasn't featured this season (W1 D1 L4).
Prutton's prediction
David Prutton predicts: 1-0 (13/2 with Sky Bet)
