Dean Henderson is set to face more time on the side-lines than first feared, with the Manchester United loanee having undergone scans after his injury whilst playing for Nottingham Forest.

As reported by The Peoples Person earlier in the week, Forest Boss Steve Cooper feared a muscle injury that would keep the player out for three or four weeks.

However following a scan it has been revealed that the goalkeeper has suffered a grade two tear in his thigh which could keep him out for up to a total of six weeks, depending on his recovery.

“It is certainly a discussion point,” said manager Steve Cooper, as quoted by Sports Witness.

“We have two League Cup games that Dean wouldn’t have played in any way because of the loan ruling so we were always planning without him for those games,” he added, referring to their Carabao Cup tie with United.

“We need to get this weekend out of the way and see where we’re at after that.

“Dean is going to be out for four to five weeks, which is obviously a blow for all of us, especially him, but these things happen, and we carry on with our work and will support Dean to get fit as quickly as possible.”

Henderson has been crucial to Forest’s survival hopes this season, making a number of high-profile saves.

His performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup, making a number of key saves in regular time before impressing in the penalty shootout, was a huge factor in his team’s surprising cup run.

Should Henderson miss the rest of January and February, as the worst-case prognosis would suggest, Forest will be without their number one keeper for seven matches.

As Cooper intimated, the two matches against Manchester United would already have been missed due to ineligibility.

But losing so key a player for five Premier League matches will no doubt hurt Forest’s prospects.

At the halfway point of the season, Cooper’s side sit in a comfortable-looking 13th place. But with things incredibly tight in the bottom half of the table, they must still be looking over their shoulder, sitting, as they do, only five points outside of the relegation zone.
 

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