Carlisle United boss gives injury update on midfielders

The midfielder is not yet ready to return to action after a hamstring injury.

Mmanager Paul Simpson says the Scot has recovered from the minor problem but will not rush the former Celtic man back into action.

There is encouraging news, meanwhile, on the fitness front with first-year pro Kai Nugent back in full training after an ankle injury.

On McGeouch, who has missed the last two games, Simpson said: “Saturday will be too early for Dylan.

“Hopefully he’ll play some part in the [friendly] game we’ve got next week if he can come through a few days of training.

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“He’s not far off - we’ve just got to be careful we don’t push him too hard.”

Carlisle are planning a bounce game next week but details of the opposition and venue have not yet been confirmed.

Paul Simpson (Image: Ben Holmes)

But it will also give teenager Nugent his first taste of action since he was injured early in pre-season.

“Kai is back in full training,” said Simpson.

“He will train again [today], train in the early part of next week and then take some part in the game next week, and then we’ll assess where he’s at from that point and decide what’s the best thing to do with him, whether or not it’s right to send him out on loan.”

Simpson said he had no other fresh injury concerns ahead of tomorrow’s home League One clash with Exeter City, where Fin Back will return to the squad.

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On next week’s friendly, meanwhile, the Blues boss said he could not confirm details at the moment “because I don’t want to say something about it if the other club are not wanting anything [coming out].

“I’ve got to be really careful on it. It’s not that I’m ducking the issue. It’s a good game for us,” he added.

“It’s a game where lads who’ve not had many minutes will be able to go out and get 90 under their belt.

“I realised last year we undercooked the lads who were not playing and then we throw them into a Papa John’s Trophy game and they haven’t played for three or four weeks, and we’re expecting them to perform to levels and they’re not up to speed.

“We’ve got this game, we’ve got a Central League Cup [reserve] game the following Tuesday, then the week after we’ve got the EFL Trophy [against Accrington Stanley].

“Anybody who does get called into action [at Accrington], at least they’ve had two games over the previous two weeks and will hopefully be able to go and do themselves justice.”