Nottingham Forest might have suffered an injury blow ahead of their East Midlands-derby with Leicester after Scott McKenna withdrew from the Scotland squad.
The 25-year-old defender has played in both games during the current international break and remains an integral figure.
Steve Clarke appears to have given him a new lease of life in the Scotland team following Forest’s promotion to the Premier League.
McKenna helped the Tartan Army claim big wins over Ukraine and the Republic of Ireland in the Nations League. Scotland have won promotion in the competition and sterner tests will come.
The Forest man will return to Nottingham to be assessed now though. Former Reds star Barrie McKay and Stephen Kingsley have both been called up to the squad.
McKenna has played in all seven of Forest’s games in the Premier League. He was the Player of the Year last season and won the Man of the Match award in the Play-Off Final.
He’s endured a tough baptism of fire to Premier League football but he’s not the only player.
Ultimately, McKenna is the type of player who typically learns from every mistake he makes. The hope will be that he can do the same in the coming weeks.
Forest are struggling for left-sided options with Moussa Niakhate also injured and that could provide a problem for the Reds.
McKenna injury would be real blow for Forest
The Reds boss Steve Cooper will be desperate to discover a settled team that is capable of getting results in the Premier League.
With that in mind, McKenna’s injury could mean another untried defensive partnership that faces Leicester.
Hopefully, the Reds can get the Scotland player assessed and on the mend in time for next Monday when Forest are back in action.
McKenna was signed by Forest almost two years to the day and he’s been a revelation ever since checking in at the club.
Last season he was resolute beyond belief and finished the season as one of the very best in the Championship.
Now, the Reds face an anxious wait to discover whether or not McKenna will be in the team to face the Foxes next week.
Cooper will have everything crossed.
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