Blues midfielder Cole Skuse is expected to be out of action for around a month as he is set to undergo a minor knee operation, while Alan Judge, Kayden Jackson and Luke Woolfenden have have had a good week’s training, according to manager Paul Lambert.
Skuse, 34, has been out of action since suffering a knee problem prior to the friendly at Cambridge but has yet to feature and now will go under the knife on Monday.
"He‘s going in for a little bit of a flush out in his knee on Monday, I think that’s going to happen,” Lambert said. "It’s a little clean-up on his knee but I don’t think it’s anything to worry about.”
The Blues boss says he expects the veteran midfielder to be out for three or four weeks: "I would think so, but he will be back because he’s mentally very good on that side of it. I don’t have a problem with him rehabbing and looking after himself, he’ll be fine.”
Forward Judge suffered a hamstring problem prior to the Bristol Rovers game, while Jackson has been out since pre-season with a groin injury and Woolfenden picked up a similar problem shortly after the start of the campaign proper.
"Judgy has trained a good week,” Lambert said. "Woolfy has trained a good week, Kayden has trained a good week, so we’ve got a few guys back. We’re a stronger group than what we were this time last week.”
Might they be involved in next Tuesday’s EFL Trophy tie against Gillingham?. "Woolfy, there’s a chance of him playing on Tuesday, but they’ve had a good week those guys.
"Kayden has obviously had a longer lay-off, Woolfy has been a few weeks and Judgy the same, so we’ll see how everybody is.”
The returning trio, as well as the likes of new loan signing Mark McGuinness, have a battle on their hands to get into the XI given the form of those currently playing.
"The secret is get in the 18, and I make no apologies for that,” Lambert said. "You get in the team or in the squad and if you’re not then you’ve got to fight your way in.
"The team is playing really well and is full of confidence and you have to fight to get in.
"Some guys like competition, some guys don’t like competition. Some guys want to play every week without having competition and make life easy, but football isn’t an easy game, it’s a hard game.
"But get in the team and stay in it, get in the squad and stay in it then you’ll be happy. If you’re not, then you probably won’t be happy.”
Kane Vincent-Young remains sidelined with an achilles problem, along with James Norwood, who is out for around six weeks with a torn hamstring, and Aaron Drinan, who will be unavailable until mid-November with a thigh problem.