Triple tonic before Chelsea meeting and Cole sidelined

NOTTINGHAM Forest have been boosted by the return of three key players from injury ahead of their big clash with Chelsea.

- By SARAH CLAPSON

The Reds host the Blues at the City Ground today (12.30pm) desperately in need of three points. They have not registered a victory since the opening day of the season, when Nuno Espirito Santo was still in charge, and are 17th in the Premier League table.

Head coach Ange Postecoglou is under pressure after a seven-match winless run since replacing Nuno at the helm.

But the 60-year-old will benefit from having defenders Murillo (back) and Oleksandr Zinchenko (groin) and midfielder Douglas Luiz (hamstring) available for the lunchtime fixture on the banks of the Trent.

Luiz has been absent since being withdrawn at halftime of Forest's 2-2 Europa League draw with Real Betis last month. Murillo has played little more than an hour across two games for Postecoglou, and Zinchenko has missed the last two matches.

Earlier this week there was concern about striker Chris Wood, who was struggling with a knee issue while on duty for New Zealand during the international break. But Postecoglou expects the front man to be fit to face Chelsea.