Chris Wood's Fitness Struggles Pose Challenges for Nottingham Forest

New Zealand's Chris Wood, under a fitness query, returned to Nottingham Forest after a 1-1 draw with Norway. Wood, who tied for most caps with 88, has knee soreness and missed key opportunities during the match. Forest, winless in seven games, are further pressured ahead of facing Chelsea.

Chris Wood, the captain of New Zealand, returns to Nottingham Forest under a cloud of fitness concerns following a 1-1 draw against Norway. Despite his knee soreness, Wood managed to become one of the All Whites' equal-most capped players with 88 appearances, tying with Ivan Vicelich.

Coach Darren Bazeley acknowledged Wood's knee issues had been a concern during the international window. However, the team managed the situation, allowing Wood to play against the Norwegians and meet Vicelich's record. Although he showed signs of discomfort, Bazeley believes Wood will recover soon.

Returning to an underperforming Nottingham Forest side, Wood faces challenges as the team remains winless in seven matches under coach Ange Postecoglou. Having scored in the opening match against Brentford, Wood has since struggled to find the net, adding to the team's difficulties ahead of their clash with Chelsea.

(With inputs from agencies.)