Nottingham Forest have confirmed that defender Ola Aina will miss Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Manchester United, extending the Nigerian international’s spell on the sidelines as the club continue to manage a growing injury list.
Head coach Pereira revealed the latest update during Thursday’s pre-match press conference, confirming that Aina remains unavailable after suffering an injury during Forest’s UEFA Europa League semi-final encounter with Aston Villa.
The absence of the Super Eagles defender will represent another setback for Forest as they attempt to close the season strongly despite several fitness concerns within the squad. Aina has now missed three successive matches in all competitions and will sit out a fourth when Forest face United this weekend.
The defender has endured an injury-disrupted campaign. Earlier in the season, he spent a lengthy period out after sustaining a hamstring injury while on international duty for Nigeria during a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against South Africa.
Forest, however, have received more encouraging news regarding several other players. Pereira confirmed that Morgan Gibbs-White and Dan Ndoye have both returned to training, while Ibrahim Sangaré could soon rejoin the group.
Providing an update on the squad’s condition, Pereira said:
“He started today to work with the team with the mask. Let’s see. It’s strange when he uses it but I spoke with him and he said he’s OK with the mask, no problem.
“We’ll see if he’s in condition for the next match.
“Dan Ndoye has started, Sangaré I think tomorrow (Friday 15 May). That’s all.
“Murillo is out, Aina is out. At this moment, I think Dan Ndoye, Morgan and Sangaré will be training tomorrow.
“They are all improving but I think it’s not the time to take risks. We’ll see, it’s with the medical department now.”
The comments suggest Forest are taking a cautious approach with players returning from injury as the season enters its final stages. Pereira indicated that medical staff would continue to assess the condition of those recovering before decisions are made regarding their involvement.
Aina’s continued absence is likely to be particularly significant for Forest because of the consistency he has provided in defence throughout the campaign. His experience and versatility have made him an important figure in the side whenever available.
The Nigerian full-back has struggled to maintain momentum this season because of repeated fitness problems, but he remains a valued part of the squad. Forest will now have to cope without him once again as they prepare for a difficult encounter against Manchester United.
Despite the injury setbacks, the club will still hope to finish the campaign positively. The possible return of players such as Gibbs-White, Ndoye and Sangaré could provide a timely boost for Pereira’s side ahead of the closing fixtures of the season.
Forest supporters will now await further updates on Aina’s recovery timeline, while attention turns to whether the returning players will be fit enough to feature against Manchester United on Sunday.
