As Nottingham Forest put in rigorous preparations ahead of domestic football’s return next weekend, manager Oliver Glasner is ensuring that every member of his squad stays sharp. While a handful of key performers have been away representing their respective countries on international duty—including standout displays from Dan Ndoye with Switzerland and Morgan Gibbs-White for England—the players remaining at club headquarters have been keeping busy.
To maintain match fitness and tactical sharpness during the international break, Forest squared off against EFL high-fliers Swansea City in a competitive behind-closed-doors friendly. When the final whistle blew, it was the Reds who walked away with a comfortable 2-0 victory, providing plenty of positive talking points for the coaching staff.
Attacking Spark: Goals from James McAtee and Liam Delap
With Glasner having a core group of approximately 10 senior players available alongside several promising academy youngsters, the friendly served as an ideal platform for fringe and starting players alike to showcase their abilities. Two standout performers who capitalized on the opportunity were James McAtee and Liam Delap, both of whom found the back of the net.
Delap, who commanded a hefty £45 million price tag when arriving from Chelsea, remains the focal point of Forest’s attacking aspirations this season. Having already opened his official account with a crucial strike in the 2-1 victory away at Aston Villa, bagging another goal in this friendly will do wonders for his confidence as he shoulders the team’s primary goalscoring burden.
Meanwhile, midfielder James McAtee continues to cement his growing influence in the engine room. Having previously opened his scoring account in the Europa League last season, McAtee is eager to expand his offensive output in the Premier League. Finding the target against Swansea highlights his knack for arriving in dangerous scoring positions, giving Glasner even more tactical versatility in the center of the pitch.
Defensive Boost: Nikola Milenkovic Takes Major Step in Injury Recovery
Perhaps the most significant development of the afternoon, however, occurred on the defensive end of the pitch. Central defender Nikola Milenkovic successfully completed 45 minutes of action, marking a major milestone in his recovery from a lingering hamstring injury.
Missing out on international duty with Serbia will have undoubtedly stung the fiercely devoted defender, but his urgency to get back onto the pitch is fantastic news for Forest. With the club operating with a streamlined squad this season—having allowed players like Morato and Zach Abbott to secure valuable minutes out on loan—depth at centre-back is at a premium.
Milenkovic’s return brings stability, leadership, and much-needed physical presence back to Forest’s backline. Although his form has occasionally fluctuated, his role as an anchor in central defense remains indispensable as the team prepares for a grueling stretch of fixtures.
Eyes on Selhurst Park: Preparing for Crystal Palace
With the international break drawing to a close, Forest’s attention is pivoting rapidly toward a fascinating domestic clash next weekend. Oliver Glasner is set to take his squad back to Selhurst Park to face his former club, Crystal Palace.
The Reds know they will need to replicate the fearless, high-level performances they previously delivered on the road against giants like Liverpool and Aston Villa if they want to secure all three points in south London. Armed with a returning defensive pillar in Milenkovic and a sharp, confident attacking duo in Delap and McAtee, Nottingham Forest are shaping up in fine form to attack the next phase of the Premier League campaign.
Do you think Liam Delap and James McAtee can maintain this momentum and fire Nottingham Forest into the upper half of the Premier League table this season?
