Carlisle v Tranmere preview

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Carlisle’s on-loan trio Max Ehmer, Ben Amos and Josh Morris will all return to contention for the home game with Tranmere.

QPR defender Ehmer, Manchester United goalkeeper Amos and Blackburn left-back Morris were all refused permission to play in last week’s FA Cup win against Brentford and boss Graham Kavanagh now has several selection dilemmas.

Former Manchester City defender Courtney Meppen-Walter made an impressive debut for the club last week and will be hoping to continue, while Kavanagh must also decide whether to recall Amos or stick with Greg Fleming in goal.

The versatile Chris Chantler could also return to contention and on-loan Liverpool midfielder Craig Roddan is hoping to make his first appearance for the club.

Akpo Sodje will come into consideration for Tranmere’s clash at Carlisle this weekend, despite being arrested as part of an investigation into spot-fixing this week.

Team-mate Ian Goodison, another of those questioned by the authorities, is out for four to six weeks with a groin injury but boss Ronnie Moore has adopted an innocent until proven guilty on both of his accused players.

James Wallace will overcome an ankle knock to feature, fellow midfielder Steve Jennings is back in full training from a groin problem and Andy Robinson is nearing a comeback from his knee injury, although the Gillingham clash is a more realistic target for him.

Defender Ash Taylor is available again after a three-match suspension and loanee Jon Otsemobor is expected to be fine after picking up a back injury on his Rovers debut two weeks ago.

Carlisle v Tranmere preview

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Carlisle manager Greg Abbott is expected to be without striker Lee Miller.

Miller, who had a hernia operation earlier this summer after missing the final month of last season with a groin problem, was forced out of Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Stevenage with an ankle injury.

The Scot will have a scan to determine the full extent of the damage, while Abbott will step up his bid to bring in a new striker amid speculation that a deal to bring Arsenal’s Sanchez Watt to Brunton Park on loan has faltered.

Former Everton striker Danny Cadamarteri could make his first league start for the Cumbrians after replacing Miller at Stevenage.

Fellow summer signings Brad Potts, Alessio Bugno and Mike Edwards also made their league debuts at the weekend and are expected to continue in defence.

Tranmere boss Ronnie Moore expects to have Mark McChrystal back among his defensive options.

The 28-year-old centre-back missed Saturday’s opening league victory over Leyton Orient with a groin injury picked up against Port Vale in pre-season.

McChrystal returned to training at the end of last week but Moore elected to proceed with caution.

“Mark trained on Friday and it’s just a matter of him getting his fitness levels back to what we want,” the manager told Rovers’ official website.

“It was probably a bit early for him on Saturday but he’ll probably be available.”

Fellow defenders Ian Goodison (knee) and Paul Black (thigh) remain on the sidelines along with forward Adam McGurk (thigh).

Carlisle v Tranmere preview

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Carlisle will be without suspended striker Lee Miller.

Miller must sit out the second match of a three-game ban following his dismissal in the recent defeat at Hartlepool, leaving Jordan Cook, on loan from Sunderland, and Paddy Madden vying for a starting place up front alongside leading goalscorer Francois Zoko.

Midfielder James Berrett is back in contention following his recent one-game ban.

Manager Greg Abbott has no new injury or suspension problems, but although Matty Robson returned to full training last Friday following a back injury, he is not expected to be in contention, so Ben Parker, on loan from Leeds, will continue at left-back.

Carlisle, unbeaten at home in the league since early September, have lost only one of their last 10 league games and are level on points with sixth-placed Stevenage.

On-loan Stoke striker Ryan Brunt could make his full debut for Tranmere.

Brunt appeared from the bench in the defeat to Wycombe nine days ago and is in contention to partner Mustafa Tiryaki in attack.

Parry’s present injury problems have not eased sufficiently to offer him any new selection options as Rovers look to arrest a run of seven games without a win.

Forward duo Enoch Showunmi and Andy Robinson have returned to training and are slated to appear against Preston reserves on Wednesday as opposed to travelling to Brunton Park at this stage in their recoveries from respective leg and knee injuries.

Zoumana Bakayogo remains out with a shin problem, while fellow defender David Raven stays on the sidelines as he recovers from his double hernia operation.

Carlisle v Tranmere preview

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Carlisle manager Greg Abbott will select his starting line-up from an unchanged 18-man squad for the home game with Tranmere.

Abbott, who has no new injury or suspension problems, is expected to be without striker Francois Zoko again due to the gashed shin that kept him out at Bristol Rovers on Saturday.

But central defender Lubo Michalik (hamstring) returned from a five-game absence in the 1-1 draw at the Memorial Stadium and will continue his partnership with Peter Murphy.

On-loan Manchester United pair Oliver Norwood (thigh) and James Chester (knee) have not yet returned from Old Trafford after having their respective injuries assessed and while skipper Paul Thirlwell (knee) and Danny Livesey (groin and hamstring) are edging ever closer to a return, they are not yet ready for first-team action.

Meanwhile, Tranmere manager Les Parry will be without left-back Zoumana Bakayogo for the clash.

The Paris-born defender was sent off during Saturday’s 4-2 demolition of MK Dons and now serves a one-match ban.

Aaron Cresswell is also unavailable due to a hip injury, leaving Parry searching for a deputy to fill in at left-back.

He said: “We’ve got to deal with that, and for us it’s a massive problem. We haven’t got that many players to play there so it’s not going to be rocket science trying to figure out who’s going to play.

“We’ve still got one or two options.”

Midfielder Paul McLaren will also miss the Carlisle game with a back injury but could be available for the weekend’s FA Cup tie at Bournemouth.