Central defender Richard Naylor has emerged as an injury worry ahead of Saturday's third round FA Cup tie with Bolton Wanderers. Naylor, who has become the linchpin of Town's defence this season, has a slight groin injury.

Town's league campaign is very much the priority this season and manager Joe Royle may not want to take any risks, particularly on one of this season's most impressive players.

Royle has called Aidan Collins and Scott Mitchell into his squad, with Guinean international defender Drissa Diallo still a week away from involvement in the side after his hamstring injury.

The Town manager, who has postponed a knee operation scheduled for today until the summer, says he plans to make some changes but will not be fielding a reserve team against the Premiership side: "We will be looking at making changes for the Bolton match.

"It's been a heavy schedule of games over the last week or so and we will mix it up a bit. But it won't be a case of putting in a load of the youngsters. We may bring one or two into the squad but it will be minimal."

Striker Dean Bowditch looks likely to come into Royle's plans, while skipper Jim Magilton, a hat-trick hero in infamous the 2000 play-off semi-final, may again be rested.

Loanee Daniel Karbassiyoon is not available as Arsenal don't want him cup-tied and Matt Richards will come back into his left-back spot.

If Naylor, one of three current players who were in the squad for the 2000 play-off semi-final, fails to make it then Aidan Collins looks favourite to come in for his first senior start. The 18-year-old's only first team appearance so far was as a sub at Derby on the final day of the 2002/03 season.

Lewis Price replaced Kelvin Davis in goal for Town's Carling Cup games earlier in the season and would have played in last season's FA Cup third round match with Derby had he not picked up an injury. Royle may consider fielding the youngster another run-out, Price having recently returned from a loan spell at Cambridge.

Cup runs have been rare for Town in recent years and last season's third round victory over the Rams was their first FA Cup win over league opposition since they beat Tranmere at Prenton Park in 1998/99.

The Blues' last serious run in the competition was back in 1995/96 when they progressed as far as the fifth round where they were defeated by Aston Villa, having previously beaten then Premiership champions Blackburn Rovers in the third round after a replay.

Wanderers' boss Sam Allardyce was relieved to see his side get back to winning ways with a win in midweek after a recent bad run: "I'm glad we are back on track after the victory at Birmingham.

"It's been a good start to 2005 and the challenge now is to get back to where we should be for the rest of this campaign - starting tomorrow at Ipswich Town.

"It's an important game for us and I really want to progress in the competition. It will be a difficult test, but I remain confident that we are good enough to progress. I will pick a side that is experienced enough to win the game."

Allardyce says he will also be making changes to his regular team: "I will assess my players after the hectic Christmas period ahead of the game and pick a side from there.

"It is inevitable that changes will be made to the line-up from the Birmingham City match. The team will be hugely experienced and those players coming in will have played a major part over the past 21 games this season.

"The players are fatigued and we have few niggling injuries to overcome. We will struggle to get our entire squad 100% fit, because of their demands in the past ten days."

Striker Kevin Davies is expected to return to the Bolton line-up but Allardyce is without defender Julio Cesar with a broken toe. The Trotters can no longer call upon veteran frontman Les Ferdinand who left the club earlier this week.

Although the controversial 2000 5-3 (7-5 aggregate) play-off victory sticks most in the mind, the Blues have met Bolton twice in the Premiership since then, the Lancastrians running out winners both times - 2-1 at Portman Road in October 2001 and 4-1 at the Reebok Stadium in April 2002, a defeat which all but consigned Town to relegation.

Saturday's referee is elite list official Steve Bennett from Orpington who has shown 57 yellow cards and two red in 22 games so far this season. Bennett last refereed Town in the 4-2 home loss to Wolves in February 2003.

Squad: Bent, Bowditch, Couñago, Collins, Currie, Davis, De Vos, Horlock, Kuqi, Magilton, Miller, Mitchell, Naylor, Price, Richards, Westlake and Wilnis.

Photo: Action Images

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