Mark Hughes hopes that Cameron Harper will be fit to return for Carlisle United this weekend after being taken out of the firing line against Walsall.
Head coach Hughes said the left-back had been suffering from some discomfort in his groin.
But he described Harper’s omission from Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw as mainly precautionary – with the intention that the Scot can return for the clash with Harrogate Town.
“He's had a little niggle in his groin for a number of weeks,” Hughes told the News & Star.
“Obviously he'd got his place back, and he wanted to play, but it was a case of maybe miss one and then he'd be ok for the ones that we've got coming up.
“We think it will have settled down and he should be ok for weekend.”
In place of Harper, Hughes recalled Aaron Hayden as he added an extra centre-back to his side to confront Walsall’s aerial attacking threat.
He later switched to a back four, moving Terell Thomas to left-back, while Hayden also had an impact at the other end, scoring Carlisle’s equaliser against the League Two leaders.
“I was really pleased for Aaron,” said Hughes, who included the defender in his XI for the first time.
Aaron Hayden marked his recall with a goal against Walsall (Image: Richard Parkes)
“He hasn't had a great deal of game time lately, but I just felt this was a game that we needed his experience and his physicality, and I thought he was excellent, notwithstanding his goal.”
Hughes, meanwhile, said Joe Bevan was also left out of the squad as a precaution after the Burnley loan attacker had some discomfort in his hamstring.
United’s boss, meanwhile, welcomed back Jordan Jones after a foot injury.
The winger came off the bench in the second half and almost won the game for Carlisle in the final seconds when his last-gasp shot was blocked.
