Nottingham Forest are slowly gathering form after a tricky start to the season and will be confident of getting a result when they visit Stoke in the League Cup tonight. 

Aitor Karanka's side have won their last two league matches, beating Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham United at the City Ground, to put a tricky start to the season to bed.

Momentum will be keen, however, so it is unlikely that the Spaniard will make wholesale changes to his XI but there will be a few faces who come in who are in need of game time.

So here are three fringe players who must be handed a start this evening...

With Claudio Yacob and Panagiotis Tachtsidis arriving as free agents as well as Jack Colback arriving earlier in the window, central midfield has become a congested area at the City Ground.

Bridcutt has been limited to substitute appearances predominantly this season but must be given a start tonight.

He offers something different to the other midfielders at the club.

Pantillimon has been doing a good job for Forest this season but Steele must start tonight.

If the Romanian feels like he has no competition then his form could dip at any time.

If he has Steele breathing down his neck with a brilliant performance tonight it will bring the best out of him.

Goncalves has not played a minute for Forest since the second day of the season.

His confidence will have been shaken especially after arriving from Portugal in the summer and a start tonight is a must.