Bristol Rovers also battling major injury issues ahead of meeting with Cobblers

Northampton and Bristol Rovers could be missing as many as 19 players between them when they go head to head at Sixfields this weekend.

Whilst Cobblers currently have 10 players sidelined, Rovers are also suffering from something of an injury crisis. There are doubts over seven players with another two suspended.

Midfielders Sam Finley, Luke McCormick, Grant Ward, Brandon Aguilera and long-term absentee Jordan Rossiter remain injured while Antony Evans and Kamil Conteh are suspended. Defenders Connor Taylor and George Friend are also still sidelined.

"We’re a little short going into this weekend but we don’t want to use that as a headline going into the game," said Rovers boss Matt Taylor. "I’m sure people will see from the team selection and how we set up where we are struggling a little bit and hopefully that turns a corner at this stage of the season and sooner rather than later.”

Harvey Vale could be involved at Sixfields after suffering a viral issue, but he will not be fit enough to start.

Taylor added: "We’ve been told that it was a virus of some sort and then an inflammation internally which affected, his inside certainly, the stomach, the pain was in that area after the game last Tuesday and maybe then a bit of inflation around certain organs. Then all the tests that come on top of it are such a worrying time because, as natural as human instinct is, worst case type scenario kind of thing.

"He’s done an individual session two days ago with Chelsea and a bit of a team group session and then has been back in our building today but we still can’t put him on that pitch for any substantial amount of time."

On what he’s expecting from Northampton, Taylor said: "A strong team, especially at home. It will be no different to what we’d expect from Stevenage or Fleetwood or Burton. They’ll be up and at as in our faces. They’ve got some quality on that pitch as well. The spirit of the promotion and a team around us in the league. But all to play for.

"I think they’ve got injury problems themselves. They were staying pre-match in the same hotel as us on Tuesday, I spoke to their manager briefly. It’s well documented in terms of everyone’s physical problems in terms of injuries and not being available but we still have to find a way of being effective and that’s my job title in a nutshell. Find a way to make this team as effective as it possibly can be.