Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper is fearful that Dean Henderson faces a spell on the sidelines after the goalkeeper suffered a muscle injury against Leicester City.
The 25-year-old, who is spending the 2022-23 campaign on loan at the City Ground from Manchester United, picked up a thigh injury during Forest’s 2-0 home win against the Foxes yesterday.
The one-time England international managed to complete the game, but he was seen grimacing throughout the closing stages after injuring himself while taking a goal kick, at the start of injury time.
Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper provides first impression on extent of Dean Henderson injury
After picking up a crucial 2-0 win against Brendan Rodgers’s King Power Stadium side, Cooper’s immediate concern was on discovering the extent of Henderson’s injury.
Speaking via The Athletic, Cooper said: “My first impression is that it is not good. But scans will tell us more and give us more clarity, over the next day or two. We will have to see how that goes.
“It is a muscle injury. We believe in his thigh. But we will find out more in the coming days.”
Henderson had kept a second consecutive Premier League clean sheet and his sixth of the season following the shutout against Forest’s East Midlands rivals.
Only Ederson (7), Aaron Ramsdale (8), David de Gea (8) and Nick Pope (10) have registered more clean sheets than Henderson in the top-flight so far this season.
Depending on the extent of Henderson’s muscle injury, it’s highly likely that the Manchester United Academy graduate will miss some games for Forest.
Although his parent club won’t allow him to feature against Erik ten Hag’s Red Devils in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, Henderson’s injury could well have ruled him out of the two-legged last four tie anyway.
Wayne Hennessey, who played in Forest’s 3-0 defeat to United at Old Trafford last month due to Henderson being ineligible, will likely replace the United stopper.
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