Nottingham Forest manager Billy Davies has described the loss of David Vaughan as a "huge blow" after he was ruled out injured for three months with a broken kneecap.

The Championship club today confirmed the extent of the injury to Vaughan, who only joined the club from Sunderland last week after a loan spell with the club earlier this season.

"He has picked up a fractured patella, which unfortunately will keep him out for the best part of three months," Davies told the club website.

"It's on a similar scale to the losses of Chris Cohen, Kelvin Wilson and Dexter Blackstock. David is a very important player. It's a huge blow for the club, the fans and the player himself.

"But we're developing a squad for the future, that is our objective when we sign this type of player, and we hope he'll be able to come back before the end of the season."

Forest are currently well in the hunt for a top-six playoff finish, lying fifth and seven points clear of Ipswich Town in seventh.