Carlisle United manager on Moxon injury and Gibson decision

The midfielder went off with a hip problem in the 3-0 defeat at Blackpool.

While Simpson said he was unclear on the extent of the issue immediately after the game, he said Moxon had been nursing the problem for some time.

“I would have to say at this moment in time that he’s obviously a big doubt for next weekend,” said Simpson, after substituting Moxon in Saturday’s second half.

“He has been nursing a bit of a hip injury, I don’t know how long for – probably the majority of the season if I’m going to be honest with you.

“We’ll just have to assess it and see where he is.

“We’re in that situation where we don’t have a lot of bodies and when you don’t have a lot of bodies you pick up injuries which is what’s happened with that one.”

Owen Moxon went off after treatment in the second half at Blackpool (Image: Richard Parkes)

It is the latest in a string of injuries to hit the Blues.

Simpson, meanwhile, explained his thinking behind leaving first-team regulars Jordan Gibson and Jack Armer out of his starting line-up at Bloomfield Road.

Top scorer Gibson was a substitute with Armer’s 72-game run of league starts also coming to an end.

Both came on in the second half of United’s defeat.

“Unfortunately I didn’t think what happened at Reading [in the 5-1 defeat] was acceptable from some players,” said Simpson, when asked about the decisions.

“I actually thought Jack Robinson deserved an opportunity, and that’s why I left Jack Armer out of it.

“Jack Robinson has showed an unbelievable attitude from day one, even from coming in on loan last season [when] he never got an opportunity.

Jordan Gibson came on as substitute at Blackpool (Image: Richard Parkes)

“I felt this was the right opportunity for him and I don’t think he let us down today, whether that was as a wing-back or in midfield.

“Jordan Gibson was ill at the weekend, and the first day of this week, so he did some rehab work, but I just decided I wanted players who were going to put a right shift in for us [in this game].

“I’ll say it again, I do actually think they did that [against Blackpool]. Jordan missed out for that but I have to say when they came on – Jordan, Jack, Sean Maguire – they showed real life about it, added a bit of a spark and energy. So credit to them for reacting in that way.”