Fleetwood Town top scorer Ched Evans is likely to miss Saturday's game with Bristol Rovers, according to boss Joey Barton.
Evans collided with Hull City defender Callum Elder after just three minutes of Saturday's 2-0 FA Cup defeat to Hull City, and his Cod Army teammate Harvey Saunders also left the pitch at the KCOM Stadium wearing a neck brace.
Striker Saunders was involved in a separate collision with Tigers keeper George Long, and Barton revealed both are unlikely to be involved against Ben Garner's Gas at the Mem on Saturday.
“Ched and Harvey were both sparked out and that’s why they had to be stretchered from the pitch," Barton told Fleetwood's website.
"But the long-term prognosis for them is positive, albeit this weekend may be a bit too soon.
“Everyone came out of Tuesday’s (EFL Trophy) game fine. Mark Duffy felt a little bit tight so maybe touch-and-go for the weekend.
"He felt something at the end of the game but apart from that, everyone has just bumps and bruises and I think I’ll have a full squad to choose from.”
Barton expects 15th-placed Rovers to cause his Fleetwood side – who sit tenth in the table – problems, particularly from set-pieces.
“They are a side that is going to be competitive because they are in League One," Barton continued.
"They’ve got the ability to play out from the back and if you don’t get your part of the game right, they will cause you problems.
“They have a real threat from set-plays, I think they’ve clearly worked hard on them on the training ground so we will have to be on the ball and alert at all times for those. This will include throw-ins as they have a few sharp throwers in the side.
“We’ll have to be on the money. It’s about getting back to our bread and butter and turn up with a performance with the physical intensity against Bristol on Saturday to get more points on the board.”
