---
title: "Nottingham Forest: Steve Cooper expecting double injury boost"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/nottingham-forest-team-news-sheffield-united-steve-cooper-receives-double-injury-boost-ryan-yates-jack-colback/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "David Comerford"
section: "Championship News"
published: "2022-05-14T06:15:05Z"
modified: "2022-05-14T06:15:05Z"
---

# Nottingham Forest: Steve Cooper expecting double injury boost

**Nottingham Forest could welcome back Jack Colback and Ryan Yates for their Championship playoff semifinal clash with Sheffield United.**

### The lowdown

Forest, who finished fourth in the Championship, travel to Bramall Lane to take on the fifth-placed Blades in the first leg on Saturday afternoon.

They’re looking to return to the top flight after [23 years away](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/nottingham-forest/platzierungen/verein/703) following their relegation in 1999.

Both [Colback](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jack-colback/leistungsdaten/spieler/61644) and [Yates](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ryan-yates/leistungsdaten/spieler/425902) missed the last game of the season – a 1-1 draw with Hull City – through injury, but it appears that their problems were minor.

\[freshpress-poll id=”396284″\]

### The latest

Forest journalist [Callum Castel-Nuovo](https://twitter.com/callumcasteln/status/1524782058752598016) reported the potential double boost on Thursday evening.

Manager Steve Cooper [‘is hopeful’](https://twitter.com/callumcasteln/status/1524782058752598016) that both Colback and Davis [‘will be fit enough to play on Saturday’](https://twitter.com/callumcasteln/status/1524782058752598016).

### The verdict

These are both significant returnees for Forest. Colback started [36](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jack-colback/leistungsdaten/spieler/61644) of Forest’s 46 Championship matches over the course of the season, while Yates was an even more prominent figure, featuring in [41 line-ups](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ryan-yates/leistungsdaten/spieler/425902).

The former is an important defensive presence in midfield, averaging [2.2 tackles per 90 minutes](https://www.sofascore.com/team/football/nottingham-forest/14) (second in the squad), while the latter ranks fourth in [Forest’s goal charts](https://www.sofascore.com/team/football/nottingham-forest/14) with eight.

And Yates’ threat may be particularly important to preserving the team’s firepower [in the absence](https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/football-news/nottingham-forest-injury-news-sheffield-7071644) of [12-goal hitman Lewis Grabban](https://www.sofascore.com/team/football/nottingham-forest/14).

Cooper will surely feel much more confident heading to Yorkshire with both players in the travelling party.

**In other news, [a huge decision has been made ahead of the semifinal](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/nottingham-forest-news/nottingham-forest-efl-var-playoff-semifinal-news-updates/).**