BILLY Davies today predicted Nottingham Forest would not see the best of Robert Earnshaw and Paul Anderson for a matter of weeks, as they continue their return from injury.

But he insisted: "I can't criticise either of them for their attitude."

The duo were drafted back into the starting line-up ahead of schedule to face Derby on Saturday, at a time when the manager felt they may not have been quite ready.

Earnshaw had been sidelined with a hamstring problem while a broken arm had kept Anderson out.

Davies was delighted with the efforts of both players.

But he believes it may be several weeks until either player is truly at his best.

"I have to take my hat off to both players, but we asked a lot of them," said Davies.

"How could we criticise either of them?

"Earnie could have scored four goals on Saturday, we had some chances in the game.

"On another day, a fitter Robert Earnshaw might have scored two or three goals.

"I think we will start to see that in two or three games time.

"In an ideal world, you give them a couple of reserve games and a couple of weeks of training before you put them back in.

"But this is not an ideal world we are living in."

Guy Moussi is also close to a return to first team action, after featuring in a behind closed doors friendly against Notts County yesterday.

Forest were defeated 2-1, but the French midfielder played for more than an hour and may be considered for a place on the substitutes bench at Reading on Saturday.