Boss Joe Royle is still mulling over whether to drop striker Darren Bent ahead of Saturday's home vital game with Nottingham Forest. Royle has received some good news this week, with central defensive linchpin Richard Naylor expected to recover from his hamstring injury in time to face Gary Megson's men.

Bent partnered Shefki Kuqi at Wigan last week but has not been in the form of earlier in the season and is without a goal in six games. Royle has James Scowcroft back from suspension, while Spaniard Pablo Couñago may also be an option. England U19 international Dean Bowditch has joined Burnley on loan for a month.

Kuqi remains Royle's first choice striker and felt no ill effects after the game at the JJB, his first outing since recovering from a deep gash to the thigh.

The Town boss says he has considered several options: "I have been alternating the strikers in training this week, with a number of different permutations.

"I would be fibbing if I said I didn't have a team in mind for the weekend. I'll look at it carefully over the next couple of days before going public with it.

"Darren has not been at his best. Then again, he is still a threat because he has enough pace for people to worry about him.

"It is a question of what is best for Darren and whether I feel he will benefit more from not being in the team from the start."

In defence Naylor is likely to retain his place, while Jason De Vos is back from suspension and will play alongside Town's longest-serving player. Manager Royle will weigh-up whether to stick with Matt Richards, impressive at Wigan, on the left or move David Unsworth back to the position he has filled for the most part since joining the Blues on loan.

In midfield, Royle will again have to decide which of his five senior players to leave on the bench. Against Wigan, Darren Currie got the call ahead of skipper Jim Magilton but the Northern Irishman may well come back into the centre of the midfield.

Town are still waiting on Drissa Diallo and Jimmy Juan to get to full fitness after hamstring and foot injuries respectively. The pair, along with youngster Gerard Nash, are expected to play for the reserves in a friendly against Cambridge United at Playford Road on Wednesday lunchtime (KO noon).

Resurgent Forest are looking to make a late escape from the relegation positions and are in a rich vein of form under Gary Megson's management. Megson says reports of their demise were premature: "We decided when we were nine points adrift that we had to start lighting a fire underneath the people above us.

"Everybody was looking at the table, thinking Rotherham were gone, we were gone and they were all looking to avoid just one relegation place. We needed to put ourselves in the fight and we are now in a lot better position.

"We have taken ten points out of 12 in some difficult games - but we have still got to improve."

The former Canary, a scorer of a superb own goal at Portman Road a few years back, will hope to be able to recall French midfielder David Friio, a recent signing from Plymouth, after a calf injury.

Ex-Town striker David Johnson will not be involved after joining Sheffield United on loan for the rest of the season.

Saturday's referee is Colin Webster from Tyne and Wear who has shown 88 yellow and 11 red cards in 29 games so far this season. Ironically, he last took control of the Blues in the 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in December 2003.

Probable squad: Davis, Price, Wilnis, Richards, Unsworth, Naylor, De Vos, Magilton, Horlock, Miller, Westlake, Currie, Bent, Kuqi, Scowcroft, Couñago.

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