Gillingham vs Port Vale preview - Ehmer in frame for Gills debut

Gillingham are set to hand a debut to Max Ehmer when they welcome Port Vale to Priestfield.

The 22-year-old German defender arrived on loan from Fulham this week and could go straight into the fold following the departure of Kortney Hause, who returned to parent club Wolves in midweek.

Midfielder Michael Doughty will come back into contention after returning from suspension but defender Joe Martin serves the final game of a three-match ban following his straight red card at Crawley in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

A third successive game without defeat for the Gills could lift them four points clear of the drop zone.

Vale travel to Kent without the suspended Chris Lines.

Lines will begin a three-match suspension on Saturday, following his red card last weekend in the defeat at MK Dons.

That means Michael Brown and Michael O'Connor are likely to play in central midfield, possibly with Louis Dodds in an attacking midfield role if manager Rob Page sticks with the 4-5-1 system he has used in the last two games.

Vale this week signed former Manchester City striker Alex Nimely on a deal until the end of the season but the 23-year-old, without a club since he was released by the Premier League champions in the summer, is short of fitness and will not be involved.