FOREST: DEFENSIVE PAIR IN CONTENTION

FOREST: DEFENSIVE PAIR IN CONTENTION

Sol Bamba and Liam Cooper hoping to face Nottingham Forest...

Defensive duo Sol Bamba and Liam Cooper are both in contention for Saturday’s visit of Nottingham Forest and will compete for a place in the centre of the United back-four.

Bamba, who returned to the starting line-up for last Saturday’s win at Bolton Wanderers, was forced off in the closing stages of the Emirates FA Cup victory after picking up a knock late into the game.

Cooper, meanwhile, was ruled out of the Macron Stadium trip through injury but has since resumed full training this week and is pushing for a return to the side at Elland Road.

Evans said: “Sol is fine and he’ll train with the group today and tomorrow. He’s in contention for Saturday.

“Coops returned to training on Tuesday as planned. He came through it really well and he’ll also be in contention.”

Evans was, however, without midfielder Toumani Diagouraga for Thursday’s training session at Thorp Arch due to illness, but the recent arrival from Brentford is expected to be available to face Forest.

“Toumani is missing today, he’s got a little bit of a cold – that’s all we’re hoping that it is,” the head coach said.

“But he should be back in full training tomorrow and he’s confident that will be the case. He should be okay.”

A definite absentee for Saturday’s game is striker Chris Wood, with United’s top goalscorer this term set to remain sidelined with a hamstring injury sustained in the recent 1-1 draw away to Brentford.

“Chris Wood has had the results of his scan and he’s going to be missing for a couple of weeks,” said Evans.

“We’ll see if he can be ready for Watford in the week leading up to that game.

“He was out with his hamstring for five or six games and then we got him back in good shape.

“It’s now a different muscle in the hamstring that has got a little strain.

“The prognosis is a couple of weeks from now. It could be a little more but that’s really down to the healing of the body.”

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