Morgan Gibbs-White has returned to training ahead of Nottingham Forest's Premier League clash with Manchester United, with his head injury described as an 'extremely manageable' issue that is unlikely to prevent him from playing.
Injury Details
The England international suffered a nasty cut down his face following a clash of heads with Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez during Forest's victory over the Blues last week. The 26-year-old required stitches across his forehead and down to the top of his nose.
Despite the injury, Gibbs-White was included on the Forest bench for the Europa League semi-final showdown with Aston Villa three days later. However, manager Vitor Pereira later revealed there was never any real prospect of him coming off the bench in that game. He was then left out of the squad completely for the 1-1 draw with Newcastle United last time out.
Training with Protective Mask
The midfielder warmed up ahead of the Villa game wearing a protective mask and has continued training with it this week. 'He started to work with the team today, with the mask. Let's see,' Pereira said on Thursday. 'It is strange when you use the mask. But I spoke with him and he said he was OK with the mask, no problem. We will see if he is ready and in condition for the next game.'
Gibbs-White will hope to have a role to play in England's World Cup campaign, ending the season as the country's in-form number 10 ahead of the likes of Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, and Phil Foden.
Expert Analysis
Stephen Smith, CEO and founder of Kitman Labs, which specialises in injury welfare, believes the protective mask will sufficiently address Forest's concerns and should pave the way for Gibbs-White to return to action at Old Trafford on Sunday.
'It's really just about not getting those stitches opened up,' Smith told Metro. 'It is obviously in a challenging area on his forehead. But with the mask he may be wearing, it is padded and the pressure is offloaded around that area to ensure that when he heads the ball, it is not going to cause a direct impact on the wound and cause real stress or strain.'
'It is obviously not ideal but it is extremely manageable. There was no concussion as he passed the necessary protocols so I think all that is very positive,' Smith added.
