Nottingham Forest boss Chris Hughton is disappointed to be without Djed Spence ahead of tomorrow night's home clash with Middlesbrough.

Forest beat the transfer deadline to bring in Spence on loan from Middlesbrough, submitting the relevant paperwork to get a season-long loan deal over the line.

The 21-year-old made his debut for the Reds at the weekend, impressing in the 2-1 loss to Cardiff City as Hughton's men fell to their fifth defeat of the campaign.

Tomorrow night, however, Forest will be without Spence, who is unavailable and ineligible to face his parent club.

Forest will also be without Jordi Osei-Tutu, who is expected to be out for a few more weeks due to a hamstring problem, and Deadline Day recruit Mohamed Dräger is having to self isolate after representing Tunisia on international duty.

There is a dilemma at right-back, then, with youngster Fin Back one of the candidates to face Neil Warnock's side tomorrow night.

"We do have some options," Chris Hughton told today's press conference. "Some options aren't available, and as always, we hope we make the right decision.

"Where we are fortunate at the moment is that we don't have too many injuries, which is good, but in that position, it's a disappointment to lose Djed in only his second game."

It is a must-win game for Hughton, with the 62-year-old coming under serious pressure after yielding only one point from six matches this term.

His side take on a Middlesbrough outfit who have picked up only one win this season and sit 15th in the Championship on six points.

Hughton, though, is anticipating a tough test, adding: "It'll be difficult.

"The height Cardiff have in their team, I don't think there are many times like them. Stoke are a very big side, but I can't remember a team the size of Cardiff's, particularly the side they finished with.

"I don't think there will be the same type of physicality. What we will be up against is a team who do play a certain way, and a manager who is used to this division and used to getting results.

"It will be a tough game. Whatever I say about whoever our next opponents are, it's almost just like repeating yourself because there are no easy games in this division.

"But we are playing at home, and this is an opportunity for us to pick up our first win."