Baffled O'Driscoll could shuffle
Nottingham Forest manager Sean O'Driscoll may be tempted to make changes to his starting XI when Hull visit the City Ground.
Forest's four-game unbeaten league run came to an end at Ipswich on Tuesday night with what O'Driscoll described as a "baffling" performance in a 3-1 defeat in Suffolk.
Defenders Daniel Ayala and Brendan Moloney, midfielders Guy Moussi, Lewis McGugan, Andy Reid and James Coppinger were all on the bench against the Tractor Boys.
O'Driscoll's options may be boosted further if defender Greg Halford and midfielder Jermaine Jenas can overcome calf injuries.
Striker Simon Cox joins midfielders Radoslaw Majewski (ankle) on the sidelines as a long-term absentee after a scan revealed he suffered ankle ligament damage during the 2-1 win at Wolves last weekend.
Hull winger Sone Aluko is manager Steve Bruce's only new injury concern for the trip.
Aluko is nursing a minor knee problem but is expected to play some part for the Tigers, who could be unchanged from the side that started in the midweek draw with Crystal Palace.
Defender Jack Hobbs and midfielder Tom Cairney could both be included in the squad for the first time this season following respective long-term knee injuries after coming through 90 minutes for the reserves unscathed in midweek, but neither is likely to be pressed into action.
Bruce has plenty of options in central defence with James Chester, Paul McShane, Alex Bruce and Abdoulaye Faye all vying for the centre-back slots.
Striker Matty Fryatt (Achilles) and defender Joe Dudgeon (knee) remain long-term absentees, while on-loan midfielder David Meyler could be recalled after the Forest match by parent club Sunderland, who have just lost captain Lee Cattermole for two months due to injury.
Source: PA
Source: PA