Port Vale boss Bruno Ribeiro hopes for injury boost
Port Vale boss Bruno Ribeiro hopes the free week has given his injured players time to regain full fitness ahead of the visit of Scunthorpe.
With Vale out of the EFL Cup, the medical staff have had time to work on forwards Jerome Thomas and Rigino Cicilia and defender Kjell Knops.
Thomas missed last weekend's defeat to Swindon with a groin strain while Knops started the match and Cicilia came off the bench at the County Ground despite neither being fully fit.
Kiko (Achilles) and Adam Yates (knee) remain out injured so Vale have signed Liverpool youngster Sam Hart on loan until the end of the season and he could make an immediate debut at left-back, allowing centre-half Knops to revert back to his more accustomed position.
Scunthorpe boss Graham Alexander will select his starting line-up from an unchanged squad.
Alexander has no new injury or suspension worries following Tuesday night's extra-time defeat to Bristol City in the EFL Cup, but several players remain unavailable.
Midfielders Sam Mantom (hamstring) and Jamie Ness, Paddy Madden (both calf) and fellow striker Luke Williams (foot) all remain sidelined.
Duane Holmes shook off illness in time to step off the bench in midweek and is pushing for a recall to the starting line-up.
Source: PAR
