Coventry vs Chesterfield preview - Coventry midfielder Jim O'Brien in contention against Chesterfield

Posted Friday, September 18, 2015 by PA

Jim O'Brien could make his Coventry comeback against Chesterfield after returning to training following an illness.

The midfielder missed Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Scunthorpe but trained on Monday and is expected to be fit.

James Maddison is still out with an ankle injury and is not expected to return until early in the new year.

Boss Tony Mowbray said: "He's bright around the building. He's still walking with a cast on, still wearing strange things in his hair and silly caps but it's good to see him about the place."

Chesterfield travel to the Ricoh Arena without the suspended Drew Talbot but with players returning from injury.

Talbot must serve a one-match ban after his red card against Colchester. New signing Chris Herd, who joined the Spireites last week as a free agent, is likely to step in at right-back in place of Talbot.

Sam Hird (ribs), Liam O'Neil (knee) and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (hamstring) missed out last weekend but all three players have since trained and Blues boss Dean Saunders is confident of at least two of the trio being available.

Ebanks-Blake was almost fit to line up against the U's but was not risked. However, the striker is expected to return to the starting line-up on Saturday.