Curle to make changes for EFL Trophy tie with Southampton youngsters

Cobblers boss Keith Curle plans to make a number of changes for Tuesday's EFL Trophy tie with Southampton U23s.

With injuries clearing up, Curle has plenty of options to choose from as his side look to bounce back from successive league defeats against Hull City and Bristol Rovers.

Jack Sowerby, Ricky Korboa and Benny Ashley-Seal all returned from injury to feature in the second-half at Rovers on Saturday while new signing Danny Rose was left on the bench alongside the fit-again Nicky Adams.

Chris Lines and Joe Nuttall didn't even make the squad for the trip to Bristol and it's also thought that midfielder Shaun McWilliams is not far off a return following nine months out with a knee injury.

"We've got a number of players that need game-time and need minutes on the pitch and it's vitally important we get players back," said Curle.

"There's nothing better than a competitive game to give those players that competitive edge and we can only benefit from having players back, getting them fit and getting them minutes.

"I think Tuesday's game has come at a good time. We've got a competitive squad now, as we saw on Saturday when we left out three or four squad players.

"Some other players will get minutes on Tuesday and it will be their opportunity to represent the football club and put in a performance that allows them to come knocking on my door demanding answers if they're not playing."

It's not all about what happens on gameday though, with Curle stressing the importance of players maintaining their standards in training.

"It's not about games, it's also about training," he added. "Players know that, to get into my thinking, they need to be performing in training.

"That's about having a working environment and putting a work ethic into the players so when you have an opportunity to put the shirt on, they know what's required from them and then they've got to deliver."