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Nottingham Forest manager Martin O’Neill said in his Aston Villa pre-match press conference, via The Nottingham Post, that he doesn’t expect to have Lewis Grabban available for the Championship clash on Wednesday night, and striker teammate Daryl Murphy should be relieved.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Reds’ top goalscorer has missed the last three league games with a troublesome Achilles issue, and O’Neill has suggested via The Nottingham Post that the club may not choose to pick him until after the upcoming international break to give him a chance to fully recover.

In his absence, Murphy has stepped up to the mantle as a target-man centre-forward, and while he has done well at times holding the ball up, his all-round striker play hasn’t been great and he hasn’t looked likely to find the net like Grabban can – he has failed to do since New Year’s Day.

The 6ft 3in player once again flattered to deceive in the 3-0 win against Hull City on Saturday, although O’Neill’s latest update means he may well be handed another start against the Villans with loanee Leo Bonatini also failing to convince against the Tigers.

Can he perform?

It will be difficult for him.

Check out Max’s verdict on Forest’s impressive 3-0 win over Hull in the video below…

He turns 36 years of age on Friday and his physique means he doesn’t have the legs to race around the pitch any more, and two games in the space of four or five days will certainly be a big ask.

That is something that limits him in the Championship, and he simply needs to ensure that he is making the most of his strengths if he does keep his spot in the starting XI against Dean Smith’s visitors, in order to keep Forest in the promotion race.