Town striker Richard Naylor has a broken leg which he has been playing on for his last two games. The hard-as-nails frontman injured the leg in the match against Middlesbrough and subsequently played an hour of the match with Newcastle and the last 13 minutes of the Charlton game.

Man-of-steel Naylor had thought that the injury was the after effects of his summer knee operations, but a scan has shown otherwise. Naylor said that during the Boro game he went up with the keeper and hit the ground with a straight leg. He continued: "That crushed the bone and there is a break in the middle of the femur, just above the knee."

In some ways the news that it is a break is good news as the copper-topped striker was worried that his summer knee operations might not have worked. Now he knows that four weeks' rest should see him back in Premiership action.

Town skipper Matt Holland said of his team-mate: "It is incredible that Bam Bam has been playing with a broken leg, but that is typical of him. Only he would play with a broken leg."

Two years ago Kieron Dyer claimed to have actually scored a goal after suffering a broken leg in a game against Watford. However, his claim was later rejected by Town physio David Williams who said the actual break happened later in the game just before he was substituted.

Matt Holland is recovering from his injury sustained in the Worthington Cup game with Coventry. His left ankle is suffering from having Paul Williams land on it and the Town skipper says it is very tender. He has not trained and said: "It is touch and go if I play but I hate to miss games and I will give myself the best possible chance."

John McGreal, Mark Venus and Jim Magilton are back in training after their various injuries. All should be fit for Saturday's clash with Derby. Richard Wright is definitely out and Keith Branagan takes his place.

Manchester City tickets are available thus: Portman Plus Gold card members: 4th and 5th December. Portman Plus and Blues Crew Members: 6th 'til 9th December. Any left go on general sale on 9th December.

The match will either be on Tuesday December 12th or Wednesday 13th. Should Town win they will meet either Birmingham City or Sheffield Wednesday in the semi-final.

Photo: Action Images

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