United manager Nick Daws says there won’t be wholesale alterations to the team ahead of the Carabao Cup first round clash against Doncaster Rovers at Glanford Park on Tuesday night.
Saturday’s home draw against Walsall saw Josh Morris reintroduced to action as a late substitute after missing the pre-season matches, while skipper Rory McArdle also returned to the substitutes’ bench following suspension and a heel injury.
There are also ten summer signings to help settle into the team and style of play, as Daws and his coaching staff consider their side for the clash against their near neighbours.
Daws told iFollow Iron: “It seems a recurring fixture over the last few seasons and they’ve always been competitive. This year it’s the Carabao Cup and we’ll be looking to progress.
“The break from the league provides us with the ability to look at one or two things, and give game time to some of the players who haven’t had enough of that.
“We won’t make a massive number of changes because it’s about trying to get a settled side with the new arrivals, and also consider those coming back from injury.
“There are no fresh injuries and it will be pretty much the same squad on Tuesday night.”
Levi Sutton is back in contention after recovering from a dead leg, but Funso Ojo is unlikely to be involved.
“Levi is fit and back in training,” added Daws. “Funso isn’t as of yet and that’s an ongoing one we’re trying to get to the bottom of, and trying to solve for both parties. Funso’s keen to be involved and we’re keen for him to be involved, but he needs to be right to be able to contribute to the team fully. We’ll address that on a daily basis really. We know he’s not too far away, and we all want it to be sooner rather than later.”
Doncaster arrive buoyed by two League One wins in succession against Southend and Wycombe respectively, and have a management team familiar to Scunthorpe fans in the shape of Grant McCann and his assistant Cliff Byrne.
Daws continued: “Grant had a successful start to his managerial career at Peterborough and I think he was unfortunate to lose his job given the position they were in at the time. He played for this football club really successfully too.
“Cliff is a legend of the club, having had three spells, and then worked in the academy before going up to Sunderland. I did my UEFA B licence coaching course with Cliff many years ago and always thought he’d follow this path. They have had a really solid start and will be pleased with how they’ve got underway.”
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