Keeper Christian Walton looks set to return to the first-team squad for this evening’s home game against Hull City with third-choice Cieran Slicker starting for the U21s this afternoon.
Walton has been out of action since pre-season having suffered a plantar fascia tear with Vaclav Hladky starting in his absence and impressing with Slicker on the bench.
Speaking last Thursday, manager Kieran McKenna revealed that Walton was due back in contention this week.
"We think, unless there are any changes, he’ll be available to be in the squad next week. He’s trained with the group this week,” he said.
"The medical team and [keeper-coach] Rene [Gilmartin] want him to complete one or two more really intense sessions and if he comes through them well, hopefully he’ll be available for the games next week.”
Walton’s availability is a boost for the Blues but equally will give McKenna a dilemma given Hladky’s excellent form, not least at Huddersfield on Saturday.
"It’s better to have those decisions to make,” McKenna said. "If we didn’t have a goalkeeper performing well at the moment, we’d probably be on fewer points than we’re on at the moment and the situation and the performances wouldn’t have been as good.
"It’s great to be in a position where Christian’s been a very good performer for us and Vaz has come into the team and is performing very well, and to have the two of them fit and available will be a boost for the strength of our squad for the many, many games that we’ve got coming up this season.”