Dias in, Lolley out: This Nottingham Forest team will beat Birmingham City

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Nottingham Forest entertain Birmingham City in the Sky Bet Championship on Saturday with the Reds looking to keep their unbeaten start to the 2018/19 campaign intact.

Aitor Karanka’s men are among the promotion favourites this season, following a summer where new signings arrived at a frantic pace and after spending heavily it is clear that promotion is the ultimate aim for the campaign.

The Blues arrive on Trentside looking for their first win of the season and Garry Monk will hope to bounce back from a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers by securing an elusive win at the City Ground.

For Forest it will represent a real chance to get another vital three points on the board and press higher up the Championship table.

The Boot Room looks at a starting eleven that Karanka could select to blow Birmingham City away…

GK – Costel Pantilimon

The big Romanian has played every league game for the Reds and there is nothing to suggest that he won’t start again for the visit of Birmingham.

The ex-Watford man is a commanding presence in the Forest goal and seems firmly established as the club’s number one.

RB – Sam Byram

One change to the line-up to face the Blues could be at right-back where recent recruit Sam Byram is pushing strongly for a starting berth.

The ex-Leeds United performer is on loan at the City Ground from West Ham United and this weekend could be the time to throw him into the starting eleven, now that his fitness is up to scratch.

CB – Danny Fox

Fox currently seems like one of the first names on the team-sheet and he has captained the side in three of the club’s first four league games.

Against Reading a fortnight ago, Fox won 11 headers on an afternoon where he claimed more aerial successes than the entire Royals back four put together.

CB – Michael Hefele

The transfer deadline day recruit from Huddersfield Town is yet to take his bow for the first-team in a league game, although he was pretty steady in the League Cup victory over Bury earlier this month.

Hefele’s inclusion in the side should give Forest the leadership qualities required if they are to stop conceding silly goals from set-pieces, as they did last week against Wigan and in the opening day draw with Bristol City.

LB – Ben Osborn

With Jack Robinson breathing firmly down Osborn’s neck it is vital that the Forest academy graduate keeps performing consistently well.

Karanka is a big fan of the makeshift left-back and for now it seems like Robinson will have to wait patiently for his chance to shine.

CM – Ben Watson

With Adlene Guedioura set to sit this one out with a fractured cheekbone it looks as though Forest’s captain will return to the starting line-up this weekend.

Watson hasn’t started a league game since the opening day of the campaign and his presence back in the Forest side will give them an element of solidity in the middle of the park.

CM – Jack Colback

It was seen by some as a really big signing when Aitor Karanka lured Colback back for a second loan spell during the summer and his performances so far this season have been typically impressive.

A tough-tackling performer could be just what Forest need in their side against a dogged Birmingham side and Colback playing well could dictate exactly what sort of result the Reds claim this weekend.

RM – Matty Cash

After his goalscoring exploits from last week and the cup game against Bury, it would seem somewhat harsh to drop the academy graduate this weekend.

The 21-year-old has been in fine form on the right-wing and his hard working performances haven’t gone unnoticed with boss Karanka, who clearly sees Cash as an important part of his plans for this season.

AMC – João Carvalho

The Portuguese attacker set up Forest’s opener at the DW Stadium last weekend and the club’s record signing is now showing signs of getting up to scratch at Championship level.

The 21-year-old clearly has lots of potential and it is fascinating to watch how the youngster develops with each passing game for the club.

Carvalho has turned in some good performances thus far and all that is missing is a maiden goal for his new club to really cap off a solid start to life at the City Ground.

LM – Gil Dias

Dias was an unused substitute during last weekend’s game and he will be chomping at the bit to get back among the action against Birmingham.

It hasn’t quite happened just yet for the winger but he has shown glimpses of promise during his three appearances so far this season.

The 21-year-old is another summer recruit who comes with lots of potential and he will hope to get another chance to shine in a very winnable game for Forest.

ST – Lewis Grabban

It might seem slightly harsh on Hillal Soudani if he doesn’t get the chance to start for the first time this weekend, but having spent £6 million on Lewis Grabban it seems likely that the Forest boss will stick with his main man.

The 30-year-old is still waiting for his first Forest goal and he will be desperately keen to get his first notch on the board, especially after missing a penalty at Wigan last week.