How Bolton Wanderers could line-up against Huddersfield Town tonight

WANDERERS face a tricky team selection against Huddersfield Town in the Vertu Trophy second round tonight.

Without a game at the weekend after storms forced the postponement of their League One outing at Bristol Rovers, Ian Evatt admits some of his players would benefit from a chance to clear the cobwebs before this weekend’s visit of local rivals Wigan Athletic.

But, by the same token, he does not want to pick up any extra injuries, having already lost influential midfielder Josh Sheehan until the end of the month.

Wanderers qualified through the group stages with two wins, against Barrow and Fleetwood, and a draw against Aston Villa’s Under-21s which ended in a penalty shootout win for the Premier League youngsters.

Team news

Sheehan’s hamstring injury means he will be unavailable until the end of December.

Carlos Mendes Gomes is a week away from being considered for selection, nine months after he ruptured his Achillies tendon playing against Wigan.

Eoin Toal, Chris Forino and Kyle Dempsey should also be available by the end of the month, which should hopefully leave the treatment room clear by the turn of the New Year.

Huddersfield have West Ham loanee Callum Marshall out with a chest injury sustained in the game against Mansfield at the weekend. Midfielder Lasse Sorensen is back in the squad after several weeks out with a hamstring injury.

Opposition lowdown

Huddersfield sit fourth in League One, five points ahead of Bolton, having played one game more.

Michael Duff’s side inflicted a damaging 4-0 defeat on Wanderers back in September – a result which was their only high point in a difficult time which included seven defeats in all competitions.

Their form has picked up and they have now won their last five, including a 4-1 victory against Manchester United’s Under-21s to seal qualification for the knockout rounds of the Vertu Trophy.

Head to head

This will be the 105th game between the two clubs, who have been competing against each other since 1910.

Bolton hold the advantage, having won 46, drawn 20 and lost 38 of the games, but their only meeting in this competition was in 1992/93 as Bruce Rioch’s side exited the Autoglass Trophy at the northern section quarter final stage with a 3-0 defeat at Leeds Road in front of 2,996 supporters.

Possible line-up