MANAGER Sam Allardyce was expected to ring the changes for the visit of Notts Forest in the Worthington Cup tonight.

But first he was keeping his fingers crossed that his world wide Wanderers arrive back injury-free from international duty.

Ricardo Gardner, Jermain Johnson, Jussi Jaaskelainen and Akinori Nishizawa were all involved at the weekend.

Keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen was on the subs' bench for Finland's goalless draw with England rivals Germany so his fitness should not come into question but Allardyce's two Caribbean players may not be so lucky.

Gardner featured in Jamaica's 2-1 defeat in the World Cup qualifier against the USA in Boston yesterday.

The red card against Arsenal means Gardner misses tonight's Worthington Cup tie against Notts Forest at the Reebok anyway but their arrival home will be too late for Johnson, who had to settle for a place on the substuitute's bench last night.

Allardyce's major concern is their fitness rather than their availability with one eye on the Premiership visit of Newcastle at the weekend.

Japanese striker Akinori Nishizawa has been with his international squad in a game against Nigeria - in Southampton.

That should not pose a problem for his arrival home for tonight's clash but Allardyce will not announce his line-up until he has run the rule over all his homeward bound players in case he wants to hold back any possible replacements for the Newcastle game.

It is likely, however, that he will use the game to give some of his squad players 90 minutes of first team football.

That will mean Colin Hendry taking the chance to make a claim for inclusion in the squad for the Newcastle game after completing the ban he received for his dismissal in the previous Worthington Cup round tie against Walsall - his only senior game to date this season.

It is likely that Allardyce will also give a start to central defender Bruno N'Gotty while Ian Marshall will also get a run out, although whether he will line up in defence or as a striker remains to be seen,

Up front Allardyce could be spoilt for choice. There have been indications that Michael Ricketts will start but the likes of Dean Holdsworth, Rod Wallace, Henrik Pedersenm, Bo Hansen and of course, Nishizawa will also come into consideration.

Forest manager Paul Hart is disappointed that he cannot call on Trinidad and Tobago striker Stern John.

Initially John wanted to stay because Trinidad and Tobago have no chance of qualifying for the World Cup finals and it was more important for him to concentrate on his Forest commitments.

But the 24-year-old striker scored the winner for Trinidad and Tobago in their qualifying match in Honduras yesterday, which left him with no time in which to return to England to figure in the Reebok tie.

Today Hart said: "It's disappointing for us because Stern wanted to stay in England and play in the Bolton game. But Trinidad and Tobago were perfectly within their rights to insist that he travelled."

Either Marlon Harewood or former Ipswich and Bury striker David Johnson is likely to deputise for John.