Nottingham Forest confident on injury absentees ahead of Wolves clash

Brazilian defender Murillo and winger Hudson-Odoi missed Sunday’s 2-0 win at Everton due to respective thigh and dead-leg injuries.

When asked about the pair before Forest’s trip to his former club, Nuno said: “Much better. I think so. I think tomorrow we will decide, but I think they’re going to be OK.”

Murillo was withdrawn from the squad at Goodison Park last week after feeling his strain during the warm-up, while Hudson-Odoi failed a fitness test after he had sustained a knock in the Boxing Day win against Tottenham.

Skipper Ryan Yates is also available again after five yellow cards saw him miss out at Everton due to a one-game ban.

Forest, the Premier League’s surprise package this season, will be bidding for their sixth straight win on Monday at Molineux.

Nuno said there had been little time for reflection on his side’s eye-catching first half of the season.

“There’s no stepping back,” he said. “We have to move forward. We have to prepare for (Monday’s) game, that’s what we’ve been doing. There is no stepping back.

“We go again and ask the boys to give everything they have. That’s the idea. No stepping back. Moving forward.”

Nuno said the club’s ongoing talks with leading goalscorer Chris Wood and defender Ola Aina over new contracts – both players’ current deals expire in the summer – were “going well”.

And with Forest linked with a raft of possible new signings during the transfer window, including the likes of Brighton striker Evan Ferguson and Atalanta defender Ben Godfrey, Nuno is hoping his players do not get distracted.

“That’s the most important and the only thing, that is really basic for us, that we don’t get distracted by the transfer window,” Nuno added.

“Players that are here stay focused and commit themselves and work hard and let things happen naturally.

“People who have to deal with that will deal with their work, but in terms of the group everything has to stay the same.”