Vítor Pereira press conference injury update ahead of Nottingham Forest vs Sunderland with latest on Murillo, Hudson-Odoi and Ndoye
Nottingham Forest travel to face Sunderland on Friday night looking to build on their recent run of results. Forest have opened up a five-point gap above Tottenham, who occupy the final relegation spot, but with only a handful of games left, every point remains important.
Head coach Vítor Pereira spoke ahead of the trip to the Stadium of Light, where squad availability was again a major talking point following the 4-1 win over Burnley.
There were concerns during that game, particularly in defence, after a key player was forced off, raising questions ahead of a busy run that also includes a Europa League semi-final.
Murillo out as Forest sweat on defensive setback
Pereira confirmed that Murillo will miss the trip to Sunderland after picking up a muscle injury.
“He is out [of the game against Sunderland],” Pereira said on Murillo. “We will see. It is a muscle injury.
“I’m not a doctor, I cannot predict, but he will be out tomorrow. I think it will be more than one game.”
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The absence of the Brazilian centre-back is a blow for Forest, particularly with their Europa League semi-final against Aston Villa coming up next Thursday.
There was more clarity regarding Callum Hudson-Odoi, who has undergone surgery on a right quadriceps injury and will not feature again this season.
Despite that, Pereira struck a measured tone when discussing the winger’s recovery. Hudson-Odoi is “feeling OK” after the procedure, with the manager adding that “the most important thing is to have him fully recovered”.
There was at least some positive news for Forest, with Dan Ndoye set to return to the squad.
The winger missed the Burnley win for undisclosed reasons but is now back in contention, with Pereira confirming he is in “the right condition” ahead of the trip to Sunderland.
With defensive options stretched and a European semi-final on the horizon, Forest will need to manage their resources carefully in the days ahead.
