Cooper provides injury update on five players; crucial Nottingham Forest player out for ‘months’ | OneFootball

Steve -CoopeR with Unai Emery before a Premier League match.

Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper has provided an injury update on five players – including Taiwo Awoniyi – ahead of his side’s Premier League clash against Brighton.

Forest have had a solid start to the campaign, taking 13 points from their opening 12 games, but they have been left with a sense they could be even better off.

When they have performed well they have usually got a result and Cooper wants that to be the case against the Seagulls.

“I’m sitting here now knowing that we could and should have more points and we missed a couple of good opportunities to take points, but I also know that this time last season we were bottom of the league,” he said at his pre-match press conference.

“Let’s have the motivation to keep trying to improve and pick up more points than what we might have done last season, but also don’t get too carried away and lose sight of where we’ve come from and where we’re at.

20) Kompany, 19) Ten Hag, 15) Howe, 8) Arteta – it’s the latest F365 Premier League Manager Rankings

“We’ve got to be ready, they’ve got some really good players playing in the brand of football they play and we are aware of that, but we want the most influencing factor of the game to be on our contribution and on what we do.

“If we’re trying to become something and be a certain way, it’s on us to do that and you only do that by sticking to a set of principles week in, week out.”

Striker Taiwo Awoniyi is out for “months” with a groin injury while Anthony Elanga, Murillo and Danilo are doubts.

“Anthony (Elanga) had a scan just after the West Ham game and had a bit of a medial knee injury, but he’s progressing well and is back out training,” Cooper added.

“Murillo unfortunately had a setback with his hamstring at West Ham. That was a blow for him because he’s doing well and he’s a young player who we’re enjoying giving an opportunity to.

“Danilo also limped off with an ankle sprain at the end of the game too.

“Callum (Hudson-Odoi) is just about to join back in training. He’s been on the grass a little bit doing the final stages of rehab and hopefully in the coming weeks he can be available.

“We never look for excuses, we will never dwell on it, we will focus on the players who will be available and that’s where our attention lies whilst supporting the guys who are injured.”

On Awoniyi, Cooper said: “We’ll support him and try to get him back as quick and as fit as he can be, but it’s a really unfortunate situation and a blow for him.

“He’s become an important player for us with the goals he’s scored and the goals he will score for us, but he’s such a good guy and a good professional who is desperate to do well, so to get an injury like this is harsh on him.

“We’ve got to support him through the process of coming back stronger. He’s done that once before here and I’m sure he will give everything again like he did last time.

“You think about how well he did when he returned last season, I’m sure that’s given him a good reference point to come back to.

“We’ll definitely see him again this season, but it’s groin surgery so it will take a little while.”