Carlisle United fear losing Fin Back for up to four months through injury – while Morgan Feeney is also facing several weeks out.

The Blues are counting the cost of the latest injuries to hit their squad.

And they are looking at the prospect of Nottingham Forest loanee Back being sidelined for a significant spell.

Both the wing-back and defender Feeney have hamstring problems, with United awaiting results of a second scan on Back’s injury before confirming the extent of his lay-off.

Simpson, speaking about the duo after the FA Cup defeat to Walsall, said: “Morgan has got a rupture of the hamstring, and it’s on a previous hamstring strain as well, which makes it a bit longer.

“If it was a normal one without the previous scar you’d be looking at ten days, but we think it’s going to be about three or four weeks for Morgan.

“Fin’s is worse, I’m waiting to hear today, he’s going for another scan and a second opinion on it, because as it stands we’re looking at possibly three or four months, but I’m hoping there might be better news – we’ve just got to wait and see.”

Both players suffered the injuries at last weekend's 4-1 win at Salford City.

Carlisle were also without midfielder Callum Guy at Walsall because of tonsilitis – while Feeney’s replacement in the side, defender Corey Whelan, limped off in the second half of the 2-1 defeat.

On Guy, Simpson said: “He has tonsilitis and an ear infection, so he hasn’t trained all week.

“I’d like to think with the way antibiotics are that he’ll be fine by the time we get back to work on Monday.”

And on Whelan, who was hurt in a collision with keeper Tomas Holy, the United boss said: “He got a kick in the first half on his foot, and that had swollen up a bit.

“When Tomas came to clear the ball he caught him in the same place. I’m hoping it’s just a kick and it’ll be fine, but we’ll just have to see how it settles.”

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