Latest Nottingham Forest news as Sean Dyche's Reds prepare to face Leeds United at Elland Road in Premier League clash
14:45, 04 Feb 2026
Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels
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Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels(Image: Getty)
Nottingham Forest will make late calls on injured duo Matz Sels and Callum Hudson-Odoi ahead of their clash with Leeds United.
The Reds travel to Elland Road on Friday (8pm kick-off) for a big clash at the bottom end of the Premier League table. The two sides are currently level on points, six clear of the relegation zone.
Forest are four unbeaten in the league after drawing 1-1 at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday. Goalkeeper Sels was forced off at half-time at the City Ground with a groin problem while winger Hudson-Odoi sustained a shoulder issue and was pictured in a sling afterwards.
On Sels, Dyche said: “He is still a bit sore. We are waiting over the next 48 hours, pre-game, to get some more advice on it.
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“We will take an opinion over the next couple of days before we know more about the length of it (any absence). We have got a chance of (Sels playing), so we will see how it settles.”
On Hudson-Odoi, Dyche said: “Callum has got a knock on his shoulder. He landed on it awkwardly.
“We have had it checked and there's nothing too serious but it is a painful one. We will have to make a decision on that in the next 36 hours in preparation for the game.
“We will know more about that. Matz and the others are longer term situations that are settling and going in the right direction.”
New signing Stefan Ortega could come in for his debut, if Sels does not get the green light to feature. The former Manchester City keeper put pen to paper on a short-term contract on Sunday.
In addition to injury doubts over Sels and Hudson-Odoi, the Reds are still without long-term absentee Chris Wood (knee) while full-back Nicolo Savona is also sidelined. On the latter, Dyche said: “He is in the awkward period of deciding what to do. It is a knee issue; nothing overly serious but it needs managing.
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“They are letting it settle down under the guidance of the specialist. They said it is a seven to 10-day window to let it naturally settle; we will be at the end of that after this weekend.
“We will then know what to do next. If it is settling, we will leave it alone and if it’s not, they will decide whether we need to do anything further.
“We are waiting on the specialist’s advice. He has said to let it settle before he looks at it again.”
Dyche will have a decision to make over who starts at full-back at Elland Road. Neco Williams and Ola Aina have been first-choice at left and right-back respectively, but the former will be suspended following his red card against Palace.
Deadline day arrival Luca Netz could be thrown straight into the fray in Williams’ absence. The left-back put pen to paper on a four-and-a-half-year deal from Borussia Monchengladbach before the window closed.
“We will see,” Dyche said, when quizzed on whether Netz could start on Friday. “He has only just trained today.”
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