Spotted: Worrying Moussa Niakhate scenes after Nottingham Forest defeat

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Nottingham Forest lost 3-2 to Brighton yesterday and after the game, Moussa Niakhate had to be helped from the pitch.

The Senegal defender is enjoying a good run in the team right now but things didn’t look good after the final whistle.

As Brighton celebrated as though they’d won the Champions League, physios rushed to Niakhate.

The centre-back looked to be in some distress as the Forest medical staff tried to treat the defender.

After a lengthy chat with Niakhate on the turn, the Forest man was helped back to the changing rooms by the medics.

Niakhate injury would be serious blow for Forest

The 27-year-old is enjoying his best run in the Forest team and has struck up a solid partnership with Murillo.

As a result, the scenes at the end could be seriously detrimental to Niakhate and it looked as though he was getting treatment on his ankle.

It wasn’t really clear how he picked up the problem. He had been in the Brighton box as Forest got bodies forward in search of an equaliser.

Niakhate has defended largely well once again. His pace was a useful asset against an energetic Brighton team and hopefully, this isn’t serious.

Forest need influential defender fit

Niakhate picked up a serious hamstring injury during his first home game for Forest during 2022/23 and that ruled him out for months.

Having got himself fit and back in the team, he was expected to start this season as a permanent fixture in the team.

However, Niakhate dislocated his elbow as Forest played Valencia in pre-season and that set him back.

The man signed from Mainz in the summer of 2022 has played in the last four Forest matches.

Following the game against Aston Villa, he was named in the BBC Sport Team of the Week. Garth Crooks called Niakhate ‘outstanding’ after a commanding display.

The hope will be that this is merely an impact injury and it’s something that he can shake off for next weekend.

Niakhate is vitally important to Forest and with a number of defenders vying for a shirt, he will be desperate to shake any potential injury off quickly.