INJURIES to key players is hindering Burton Albion’s progress says Nigel Clough.
Ben Turner, Marvin Sordell, David Templeton and Ben Fox are all currently sidelined and are not expected to face Shrewsbury on Saturday (kick off 3pm).
The Albion manager said: “When you get three or four senior players out it does bite. It has been pretty much the same players out there every time and when the games come thick and fast we don’t have options to give people a breather.
“In professional football you get these niggles but there are varied and different reasons why they have got them.”
Clough is hoping that the injury situation is easing after a ten-day break without a game but isn’t prepared to rush players back.
“We need to err on the side of caution as we have the busy Christmas period coming up. From December 15 to January 5 there are six games and we are going to need as many people fit as possible.
“With all the games in the next four weeks you can propel yourselves up the table. Looking at the fixtures into January and February there are some winnable games there.
“It will be the middle of February before we will really know if we are in with a chance or not of making that top six.
“It’s a busy period and we need to get everyone fit and keep playing the way we are.”