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Nottingham Forest face Utrecht on Thursday (17:45 GMT) in the league stage of the Uefa Europa League.

Forest fans Justin, Duncan, Finley and AJ had an early start to make the game in Utrecht.

"I have never been away with Forest in Europe before, we looked at the location and its great, so I really wanted to do a European one," they explained

"We left at 4am this morning, got the Eurostar and then train to Utrecht."

Listen to what the fans said in full here

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Colin Fray
BBC Radio Nottingham reporter

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Forest fans in Utrecht were few and far between last night, but as thousands make the journey today - either from the UK or making the short hop from Amsterdam - they'll be buoyed by the strength of the travelling Reds' squad.

Though goalkeeper Matz Sels has been left at home with a tight groin, and Ryan Yates has been added to the injury list with a hamstring problem, Forest's 22 in the Netherlands includes fit-again Murillo, Dilane Bakwa, Douglas Luiz and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Apart from those ineligible for the Europa League, the rest of the senior players are all here, and in contrast to recent previous matches in the competition, the only two inexperienced players here are substitute goalkeepers Keehan Willows and Aaron Bott.

Victory tonight would keep alive Forest's hopes of finishing in the top eight and so avoiding two play-off matches in their congested fixture calendar.

Looking for their first win in the competition, FC Utrecht are determined to cause a shock and their support will be fervent at the Stadion Galgenwaard - but Forest at least have a stronger looking squad as they themselves search for a first away win of the campaign.

Join us later on BBC Radio Nottingham for full-commentary from 17:45 GMT - with all the build up from 16:00.

Listen to full commentary on every Nottingham Forest game, and In The Game every weeknight from 18:00, on BBC Radio Nottingham.

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Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche has been speaking to BBC Radio Nottingham before Thursday's Europa League game against Utrecht at Stadion Galgenwaard (kick-off 17:45 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his chat with BBC Radio Nottingham:

• Dyche confirmed Ryan Yates has a hamstring injury, which will not be a quick recovery, but he insisted it is nothing too drastic.

• He said some Forest players will need to be "fast-tracked to full fitness" in order to be ready for the busy schedule.

• The Forest boss conceded the Premier League takes priority over the Europa League, but said it is still an important competition and their performances so far prove they are taking it seriously.

• On the importance of a full squad: "Considering the changes we have made, we have looked solid. There has to be a squad mentality and it is not just about the 11 playing. I am really pleased with the squad because the changes haven't drastically changed performances."

• On Thursday's opponents Utrecht, who have yet to win in the Europa League so far this season: "They have had a softer spell in their league but they are full of running. Tactically, these [European] games are slightly different. It still comes down to our performance though."

David Jackson
BBC Radio Nottingham reporter

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Rather like the travelling Nottingham Forest fans this week, Sean Dyche has a dilemma.

While supporters have been deciding whether to spend a couple of days in Utrecht for this match or stay a short train ride away in Amsterdam (judging by our walk around the city of Utrecht this afternoon, I'd say most have chosen the latter), Dyche has been deciding what kind of team to put out on Thursday night.

Forest once again, after a midweek game, looked tired and underperformed in a weekend Premier League match – this time, losing 3-0 at Everton.

So Dyche knows he needs to rest his key players where he can. The question is, when?

Forest have waited 30 years for a European campaign and don't want to take it lightly and a win over Utrecht keeps them on track for a possible top eight finish. But then, well, the Premier League is the Premier League.

With a home game against Tottenham coming up on Sunday, I'd expect Dyche to take this game against Utrecht as a chance to make a number of changes and maybe even get a proper look at some of the academy players – Zach Abbott and Jimmy Sinclair both played against Malmo, remember.

With injury problems hopefully easing over the next few weeks, Dyche might have the chance to be more calculated about rotating senior players in the new year.

But, rather like the fan I spoke to today who said he chose Utrecht over Amsterdam "to try something new", Dyche could well adopt the same philosophy on Thursday.

Join us tonight from 18:00 to 19:00 GMT on BBC Radio Nottingham (and BBC Sounds) as we preview the game with Steve Hodge and Colin Fray.

From 16:00 GMT on Thursday, we'll be on BBC Radio Nottingham for all the build-up and commentary.

Nottingham Forest along with Leeds United have made initial enquiries for Hibernian midfielder Josh Mulligan as they consider a January move for the 23-year-old. (Daily Mail), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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Former England batter and coach David Lloyd says the tourists should have selected Nottinghamshire opener Haseeb Hameed for the ongoing Ashes series.

England are 2-0 down in the five-match series after heavy defeats in Perth and Brisbane.

Hameed, 28, made four half-centuries in 10 Tests but has not played for England since struggling in the 2021-22 Ashes, in which he was dropped for the fifth Test.

TV and radio pundit Lloyd told BBC Radio York that Hameed is "absolutely belting the door down" to get into England's Test team.

Nottinghamshire captain Hameed hit 1,258 runs, including four centuries, at an average of 66.21 in leading his side to the County Championship title this year. Only Surrey's Dom Sibley scored more runs in Division One.

"He is a far, far better player than when he was that young prodigy at Lancashire," added Lloyd. "He looks a Test match player."

Hameed made his Test debut aged 19 in India in 2016 and impressed in the first three Tests before having to return home because of a broken finger.

He subsequently struggled at Lancashire but revived his career by moving to Nottinghamshire in 2019 - making 15 of his 19 first-class centuries at Notts and earning an England recall in the 2021 home series against India.

Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett have been England's preferred openers for most of the Brendon McCullum-Ben Stokes era since 2022, scoring 2,564 runs together in 59 innings at an average of 44.2 - including four century stands.

However, they have put on only 53 runs together in the two Ashes defeats so far. Duckett has scored only 64 runs in the series, though Crawley came back from a pair in the first Test to make 76 and 44 in Brisbane.

"England have a plan of how they want to play and Crawley is in that plan," said Lloyd.

"In this last Test, Crawley has done OK but he hasn't got a hundred."

Pat Riddell
Fan writer

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As ever with Nottingham Forest, it is often a case of two steps forward, one step back. Just when there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel, something gets in the way.

Losing to Brighton seemed to be one of those days - some games just do not go your way. Losing to Everton was different.

You cannot face a David Moyes team and not be up for the fight. You cannot face Everton and be sloppy in possession, meek in 50-50s and dithering in front of goal.

Which was baffling because Sean Dyche knows exactly what to expect from the Toffees. Of course, we cannot overreact to every defeat - we are on the right trajectory, it is just the journey is not always smooth.

Another night in Europe beckons on Thursday in Utrecht, before Sunday at home to Spurs. Worryingly though, the injuries appear to be mounting.

In Ola Aina, Murillo and Chris Wood, we are already without three mainstays from last season. Add Dilane Bakwa, Douglas Luiz, Taiwo Awoniyi, Oleksandr Zinchenko and now Ryan Yates to that list and the trouble is obvious. Ibrahim Sangare and Willy Boly are will also likely be off to Afcon with the Ivory Coast in a matter of days.

Form is affecting other players and perhaps the best we can expect is results to be up and down for a few weeks. However, with several of those injured players due back within a few weeks, maybe the immediate future is not so bleak.

The bottom three are still close but with crunch games against teams around us, as well as a few at the top and a rematch against Everton on 30 December, we will know just how many steps we have taken forward by early in the new year.

Until then, lessons will be learnt from Saturday's 3-0 defeat and the light at the end of the tunnel will stay within sight.

Find more from Pat Riddell at The Famous Club, external