Mansfield Town set to be without 11 players as Stockport visit starts busy festive period

Lucas Akins and Jamie McDonnell are both big doubts with ankle injuries with Baily Cargill trying to shake off illness.

They are on top of the suspended Rhys Oates, the ill Joe Gardner, and injured sextet Tyler Roberts, Regan Hendry, Luke Bolton, George Maris, Kyle Knoyle and Jordan Bowery.

“We could have a full team of 11 missing - it is a hell of a team as well,” said Clough.

“When you write it out you can put a very good team on the pitch from those unavailable.

“Baily is still a bit under the weather, though we are hoping he might be okay for Saturday.

“There is a lot of illness going round at the moment and footballers are no different.

“They may be a bit fitter and healthier but are no less susceptible.

“They are mixing with their kids who are all going to schools and nurseries and we are all susceptible to what is going around at the moment.

“So as soon as we get a case we isolate them and keep them away from the place as much as we can.

“Lucas jarred his ankle again on Saturday and tried to do a bit yesterday and felt it again, so we are not sure if he will be fit for Saturday.

“The other one is Jamie McDonnell who also went over on his ankle and has quite a bit of bruising there.

“With the Christmas period coming up we will have to assess those two.”

With so many games coming thick and fast, Clough admits there will be little training and players will once again spend Christmas Day with loved ones anyway.

“We did the schedule a couple of weeks ago,” he said.

“I always believe in putting that into place so it is not reactionary if you get a bad result.

“The schedule you put in place we believe is the right one, especially with the current crop of 'unavailables' we've got.

“It will be getting through the games and very little training after Stockport - just a little leading up to Boxing Day and then very little after that.

“It will just be about recovery and keeping lads who are on the bench ticking over – and there are not many of those.

“Sometimes you have three or four players outside your 18 and they need managing and a bit more training.

“But that's not the case this year as I think everyone will be involved over that period.”

He added: “With 15 points up for grabs in those 16 days, that is a lot of points in a short space of time and it can make a big difference to your season, depending on what you do in that period. We just want to get anything we can from these games.

“We will be getting players back in January and have already seen earlier on in the season that when those players are available we can compete with the teams in this league.

“We were eighth before we lost them, so that is proof of how much we are missing them.

“So anything we can get from these next five games will be a bonus.

“We will have limited options on rotation, so some of those players will just have to get through four out of five games or something like that. We are restricted on what we can do.

“The players will be spending more time with their families this Christmas as we can't afford to do too much training.”

Clough said past results had been better when players spent Christmas Day at home.

“We let the players spend Christmas Day at home,” he said,

“We have done both over the years. In earlier years we have mostly had them in on Christmas Day, but, when we didn't, we looked back at the results and there was no difference.

“In fact Boxing Day results were generally better when we were off Christmas Day. So you get the benefit when they have been with their familie.

“We say to the players - your mates at other clubs have probably been in on Christmas Day while you are sitting there with your family. So don't let us down on Boxing Day and don't let the fans down. Generally they don't.

“We trust them – they are professionals and very conscientious. They can enjoy themselves to a certain point, aware that in 24 hours they have got a game.”

On Saturday's visitors, Clough said: “Stockport made a few changes in the summer and have been up there at the top of the league.

“They are having a little bit of a sticky patch at the moment, but the quality is there when you look at their squad.

“Ben Osborn has played at the highest level – a very good player – and Oliver Norwood is not far from coming back from injury – two quality players, never mind all the other threats.

“We have had some crackers against Stockport over the last few seasons.

“I think they will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.

“They are one of these clubs with huge ambitions and big investment – you can see that in their stadium as well. And they have an experienced manager.

“We look forward to the games with them as I think they are good footballing games, good, physical, competitive games, and I think we have matched them in recent seasons.”