Burton v Newport preview

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Kelvin Maynard is ready to return to the Burton squad as the league leaders prepare to host Newport.

Maynard has been out recently with a hip injury but the Dutch defender will come back into the reckoning at the weekend.

Midfielder Matty Palmer is also nearing a comeback after resuming training on Monday following a knee problem, although Saturday’s game may come too early for him to be involved.

A hamstring problem continues to prevent defender Stefan Maletic, signed at the beginning of January, from making his Burton bow.

Newport will assess striker Aaron O’Connor before Jimmy Dack’s first match as permanent boss of the Exiles.

O’Connor missed Saturday’s home defeat to Morecambe having not trained all week with an injury and they will monitor the forward’s fitness ahead of the trip to face the high-flying Brewers.

Dack, who this week accepted the role of County boss until the end of the current season, could hand starts to Robbie Willmott and Chris Zebroski in a bid to bounce back.

Newport have won just one of their last seven matches, scoring only three goals in the process.

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Burton v Newport preview

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Burton boss Gary Rowett must decide whether to make changes to his starting line-up against Newport.

Rowett named an unchanged team against Northampton on Boxing Day but could freshen things up for a second game in the space of three days on Sunday.

Midfielders Lee Bell (hamstring) and Alex MacDonald (virus) returned to the bench after injury and illness respectively for the 1-0 win over the Cobblers, while striker Rene Howe will be fresh to face Albion’s fellow promotion hopefuls after starting on the bench for the last two matches.

Defender Zander Diamond and forwards Dominic Knowles and Michael Symes also provide Rowett with options.

Newport defender Ryan Jackson will miss the clash with promotion rivals Burton through suspension.

Jackson picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in the 1-0 Boxing Day win at Wycombe and serves a one-match ban.

Ryan Burge and Ismail Yakubu returned to the bench at Adams Park and could start for in-form Newport, while Max Porter is closing in on his comeback from a groin injury that has limited him to just two appearances since January.

Exiles manager Justin Edinburgh is also set to welcome Andrew Hughes back from a hamstring injury picked up earlier this month.