NIGEL Clough will be without two key players through suspension as the Brewers start the Christmas games with a home fixture against Rochdale tomorrow (kick off 3pm).
John-Joe O’Toole is in the middle of a six-game suspension that will see him not be available until Albion take on Northampton in the FA Cup Third Round tie on Sunday, January 5.
Stephen Quinn is also suspended after picking up a fifth yellow card at Wycombe but will be back to play Tranmere on Boxing Day.
But the three players who returned to the Wycombe squad after injury (John Brayford, Oliver Sarkic and Reece Hutchinson) are all now back to full fitness boosting squad numbers.
Clough said: “They all came through OK and have trained this week so are all in contention which is important having lost John-Joe and Stephen to suspension. When Oli came on he showed straight away that bit of quality he possesses and he seems to have so much time on the ball when a game is frantic. He can put his foot on the ball and find a pass.
“Having John back frees Lucas to play elsewhere in the team which is important as well.”
Nathan Broadhead will not make the Christmas games however having not recovered from his hamstring injury.
Clough said: “Nathan is coming on well but will be a week or two. We have to be careful as he came back too soon last time. We certainly won’t be rushing him.”
The Brewers have four games in a row against strugglers but Clough says that in topsy-turvy League One anything can happen.
He said: “The fact that any team in League One can beat any other team applies more to Rochdale than anyone else. They are capable of winning 5-0, or losing 5-0. They have some very good League One players who can hurt you. We will have to play better than we have done the last three games if we want to win.”