New-look Burton ready for action after Covid lay-off

Boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has the opportunity to field a new-look team in bottom-club Burton’s first game for three weeks against Sky Bet League One leaders Hull.

The Brewers’ last two fixtures against Shrewsbury and Blackpool were postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak.

Hasselbaink made three signings on deadline day, bringing in Terry Taylor, Josh Earl and Ryan Broom having also recently added Hayden Carter, Sean Clare, Josh Parker, Dillon Barnes, Jonny Smith and Tom Hamer to their squad.

Clare and Parker could make their first starts after appearing off the bench in the last match, a 1-0 home defeat by Ipswich on January 16.

Hull manager Grant McCann is set to welcome back George Honeyman, Mallik Wilks and Jacob Greaves after resting them for the midweek Papa John’s Trophy penalty shootout defeat to Lincoln.

Max Clark, who came through the youth ranks at City, has returned on a deal until the end of the season from Vitesse Arnhem and provides competition for the left-back spot with Callum Elder in the absence of the injured Brandon Fleming.

Clark became the Tigers’ fourth signing of the January transfer window following the arrivals of Daniel Crowley, Gavin Whyte and Jordan Flores.

City will be without Alfie Jones, who damaged a hamstring in the second half of last Saturday’s 1-0 win over Swindon, and Cardiff loanee Whyte, who has missed the last two games with an ankle injury sustained in training.