Wood to miss rest of Premier League season

Chris Wood
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

All Whites striker Chris Wood will miss the remainder of the Premier League season with Nottingham Forest due to injury.

Wood, who joined Forest on loan from Newcastle United in January, picked up a thigh injury in a 3-1 loss at Tottenham Hotspur on March 11.

He travelled to Auckland for the first of New Zealand’s two matches against China last week but did not feature in the game and was forced to pull out of the squad before the second match, returning to his club for further treatment.

The 31-year-old’s injury was confirmed by Forest boss Steve Cooper, who told a news conference: “Chris Wood is out for the season. He’s picked up an injury during the international break.”

Forest are 16th with 26 points from 27 games, two points above the relegation zone.

They host Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are 13th on 27 points from 28 matches, this weekend.

Cooper said Forest also have concerns over forwards Brennan Johnson and Andre Ayew, full-back Serge Aurier and midfielder Gustavo Scarpa.

“It’s just something we have to deal with, we’ll put our focus into the players who are available and who are training ready to play the next game and commit to them,” Cooper said.

Johnson has a groin issue. He was not part of the Wales squad during the international break despite playing 90 minutes against Newcastle on 17 March, a situation Wales manager Rob Page questioned.

Cooper said Johnson is “not back to full fitness”.

Forward Taiwo Awoniyi, who has been out since January with a groin injury, and midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate, absent since November with a hamstring issue, have returned to full training.

-Reuters