Bradford v Oldham preview

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Bradford will be without suspended winger Filipe Morais for the home game against Oldham.

Morais sits out the second game of a three-match ban following his dismissal in the FA Cup replay defeat at Reading.

Defender Andrew Davies remains an injury doubt. He recently took a knock to the arm he broke in August and has missed the last three matches.

Deadline-day signing Tony McMahon could feature after arriving on loan from Blackpool but fellow defender Alan Sheehan joined Peterborough on Thursday and boss Phil Parkinson must decide whether to retain Christopher Routis in midfield.

Conor Wilkinson is expected to be back in Oldham’s squad for the trip across the Pennines.

The striker missed Tuesday night’s derby victory over Rochdale because he was in the Republic of Ireland Under-21 squad for their game on Thursday, but he lands back in England on Friday ready for Latics’ game the next day.

Rhys Turner scored twice in his absence but will hope his hamstrings are fine after coming off having felt a tightness in an area which has troubled him before.

Left-back Mat Sadler will be okay despite receiving a blow to the head and Liam Kelly (calf), Joseph Mills (hamstring) and James Wilson (calf) all trained on Thursday and could come off an injury list which still includes Jacob Mellis and George Elokobi (both hamstring).

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Bradford v Oldham preview

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Bradford striker James Hanson remains a big doubt for the home game against Oldham.

Hanson has been struggling with a back problem for the past three weeks and has been rested for two matches. He could return to the bench with loan signing Jon Stead resuming alongside Aaron Mclean up front.

Midfielder Nathan Doyle also remains doubtful after missing the last three matches due to an on-going groin problem he recently aggravated and striker Andy Gray is still sidelined with shingles.

Defender Adam Drury, on loan from Leeds, sustained knee ligament damage in last week’s win at Leyton Orient and is not expected to recover, so Carl McHugh will continue at left-back.

Oldham manager Lee Johnson will hope he can name the same starting XI for a fourth successive game at Bradford.

Latics have taken eight points from their previous four fixtures to ease relegation fears but Johnson may be forced into changes if a sickness bug does not ease by the weekend.

Johnson revealed he had most of his first-choice team in training on Thursday although, outside of that group, the numbers were depleted.

Genseric Kusunga (thigh), Anton Rodgers (knee), Joel Byrom (hamstring) and Rhys Murphy (hamstring) also have injury concerns and with Oldham not playing again for another 13 days, Johnson is unlikely to rush any of that quartet back.