Blow for Reds as Luiz to miss clash with Black Cats

BRAZILIAN SET FOR SCAN ON INJURY PICKED UP AGAINST BETIS, BUT MILENKOVIC AVAILABLE TO FACE SUNDERLAND

- By SARAH CLAPSON

NOTTINGHAM Forest will be without midfielder Douglas Luiz for tonight's Premier League clash with Sunderland.

The Juventus loanee was withdrawn at halftime of Wednesday night's Europa League draw with Real Betis due to a hamstring issue.

Head coach Ange Postecoglou had initially said the substitution was precautionary but Luiz is now set to undergo a scan.

The Reds are confident the issue is not a serious one. However, the 27-year-old has definitely been ruled out of the clash with the Black Cats at the City Ground (5.30pm kickoff).

"Douglas Luiz wasn’t great yesterday saw we have sent him for a scan on his hamstring. He won’t be available this weekend," Postecoglou said.

"With him, I think we have got to be really careful with how we use him in the early part of the year. He had a lot of issues last year at Juventus and came in late here.