West Ham will have strikers Victor Obinna and Frederic Piquionne back from suspension.
New striker Demba Ba, who has signed from Hoffenheim, is eligible to play but he is short on match fitness following the Bundesliga winter break.
Fellow new recruit Gary O'Neil is cup-tied following his move from Middlesbrough but full-back Lars Jacobsen is available to manager Avram Grant.
Forest boss Billy Davies will make changes as he is keen to give some players match action ahead of the Championship promotion challenge that lies ahead.
"I am going to try and get some minutes into legs this weekend," Davies told the club's official website. "Players like Paul McKenna and David McGoldrick will come into contention, to mention just two names. There will be one or two others as well."
Defenders Brendan Moloney and Kelvin Wilson, midfielder Radoslaw Majewski and forwards Dele Adebola and Garath McCleary will also come into the reckoning for recalls.
Davies added: "We will pick a side that will be strong and one that we want to do well, but knowing that we are picking players to get some match time into them for the tough period ahead.
"We want to continue doing well as winning football matches is a very good habit to get into."
West Ham (from): Green, Boffin, Faubert, Jacobsen, Bridge, Tomkins, Reid, Gabbidon, Upson, Spector, Hines, Parker, Noble, Kovac, Boa Morte, Ba, Cole, McCarthy, Sears, Nouble.
