Sheffield United have got what they wanted as Steve Cooper faces key Nottingham Forest decision

Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper has at least one key selection decision to make ahead of Friday night's match at Bramall Lane.

On-loan Sheffield United defender Max Lowe cannot play against his parent club, meaning Cooper will have to shuffle his pack and be without an influential figure in his starting XI.

Lowe has been a huge success since joining on loan in August and is already among the best performing players in the division.

According to Whoscored.com, a performance analysis service which supports the EFL with its player ratings, only four players are performing better than the 24-year-old.

Only Aleksandar Mitrovic, Harry Wilson, Philip Billing and Scott Wharton are enjoying better seasons than the United loanee, who has featured 20 times in all competitions.

Of those players who have made 10 or more appearances in the Championship this season, Lowe has made the most tackles with an average of 3.8 per match and only three players have stopped more crosses into his own box.

What makes Lowe's appearance at the top of those charts even more impressive is the fact he's spent two months on the sidelines with a groin injury picked up in the 1-1 draw at Reading in November.

With three left wing-backs on the books at the start of the season, one needed to go out on loan and Lowe was an obvious choice given his lack of game time the previous season.

Rhys Norrington-Davies had already had a season away from the club and had returned an international having profited from two loans at Luton and Stoke, while Enda Stevens was regarded as the number one in that position.

The need to get Lowe performing back to the levels he was prior to his move to Bramall Lane was paramount and they are certainly getting what they