Mike Williamson says Harrison Biggins is set to come “straight back” into his thinking for Carlisle United’s next game.
The midfielder is poised to resume full training after missing the last four games with a calf injury.
And he will be in the mix for a return to action at Newport County on Saturday should he come through the week unscathed.
On Shrewsbury Town loanee Biggins’ return to full training, Williamson said: “That's going to be [down to] speaking to the physios and the S&C [coaches].
“He did parts of training [last] week which has been really good, but if he can have a full week then yes, he comes straight back into the thinking.”
LISTEN: Williamson Crewe draw, player decisions, loanees and more
Biggins could be part of a double boost for Williamson as he prepares for the trip to south Wales.
Jon Mellish will be back available after he served a one-match suspension in the 1-1 draw with Crewe Alexandra on Saturday.
It means all United’s recently-suspended players, bar the injured Ethan Robson, are back available, Ben Barclay having returned on Saturday and Harrison Neal also recently back.
Carlisle have one remaining player at risk of suspension with fit-again Jordan Jones being booked on Saturday.
That took him to four for the campaign. The cut-off for suspensions for five bookings comes after the 19th league game – which in United’s case is their game at Newport.
Williamson, meanwhile, has spoken of his difficult decision to leave record signing Luke Armstrong out of the squad on Saturday.
The striker did not make the matchday 18, with the head coach feeling other options were needed on the bench.
“It’s brutal – it's the worst part of this job letting people and letting players down,” he said.
“But ultimately when I looked and went through the process of elimination we had a lot of players – wing-backs, eights and fours – that I knew were going to get tired and that needed to change.
“I do openly say I love Luke and everything he does and how hard he works and his quality is unquestionable.
“But I just made decisions based off what I thought we might need to come up.”
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