Motherwell boosted as injury woes ease
Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson hopes to have four key players back for Saturday's visit of Dundee, but he feels his options have increased during an injury-hit spell.
Chris Cadden returned to training on Tuesday after a hamstring problem and joined in with his team-mates on Thursday along with Peter Hartley and Elliott Frear, while goalkeeper Trevor Carson is also stepping up his attempts to return from a shoulder injury.
Motherwell have lost four consecutive games, all away from home, but the likes of Gael Bigirimana and Craig Tanner have staked their claim for more regular action during several narrow defeats.
"The vast majority of the boys will be back and available again, we will just make some last-minute decisions on Saturday," Robinson said.
"The one difference between this and last year is, our team picked itself last year. No matter how poorly people played, they were going to play because we didn't have options.
"Tans has come in and he has been really unfortunate he hasn't started more games because he has been very good.
"Bigi has been a little bit unlucky, that every time he has played we haven't got a great result, and I've ended up changing the team and going back to what you know. But he played really well last week.
"I thought Tans had a real influence on the game. Every 90 minutes he either scores a goal or sets one up so we have to take that into account now.
"They have forced their way right into my reckoning."
One player who will definitely still be missing is Louis Moult, whose hamstring injury is set to ensure he has played his last game before moving to Preston. And Robinson is continuing to work hard to replace his top goalscorer.
"There's lots going on," he said. "The board will back me as much as they possibly can to get the right players in.
"We are doing our due diligence, speaking to numerous people. And if I feel we need to bring two in, we will bring two in.
"Also, I'm looking to get another defender in just to shore up our squad for the final push of the season.