Carter back for injury-hit Cobblers
Depleted strugglers Northampton have further injury concerns as they prepare to host League Two leaders Chesterfield on New Year's Day.
Roy O'Donovan was ruled out of Sunday's goalless draw at Portsmouth due to an ankle problem, before Luke Norris was forced off carrying a thigh injury just after the half-hour mark.
Both will be assessed along with fellow injured forward Izale McLeod, but Mathias Kouo-Doumbe, Ian Morris, Clive Platt, Kelvin Langmead, Lewis Hornby and Alex Nicholls all remain sidelined.
One ray of light for caretaker boss Andy King is the return of midfielder Darren Carter having served a one-match suspension at Fratton Park.
Chesterfield begin 2014 top of the table but are hit by injury and suspension ahead of the trip to bottom club Northampton.
Leading scorer Marc Richards is nursing a hamstring problem following the 1-1 home draw with Dagenham & Redbridge and the seven-goal striker is a doubt, while centre-halves Sam Hird and Ian Evatt will both serve one-match suspensions at Sixfields.
Hird was shown a straight red card against the Daggers for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity while Evatt received his fifth yellow card of the season during the same game. Blues boss Paul Cook has confirmed that Liam Cooper and Matty Brown will be the central defensive partnership on New Year's Day.
Midfield trio Jimmy Ryan, Sam Morsy (knee) and Gary Roberts (hamstring) are fighting to be fit and there is a chance of one of them returning to the squad.
Source: PA
