Wanderers handed double suspension blow for Wycombe trip

Defensive duo Ricardo Santos and George Johnston will miss Wanderers’ trip to Wycombe through suspension.

Both centre-backs received their fifth bookings of the season during Saturday’s defeat to Wigan and will now have to watch from the sidelines.

Aaron Collins and Jay Matete are both on four yellow cards and must escape being cautioned against Wycombe if they are to face Barnsley on Boxing Day.

The threshold for a ban has been upped to ten bookings following Bolton’s trip to Adams Park on Friday night, their 19th league game of the season.

Will Forrester, who played in the backline against Huddersfield in the Vertu Trophy, may now face the league leaders.

Eoin Toal has been out injured since the Stevenage win over a month ago, and Josh Dacres-Cogley has occasionally filled in for him in the back three.

Chris Forino has been healing from a long-term condition. The tall defender underwent surgery on his hamstring after being forced off against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup.

Before coming off over the weekend, Jordi Osei-Tutu moved gingerly. The wing-back made his first league start for the Whites after missing time with a knee injury.

Wanderers have also been a little thin in midfield, with Kyle Dempsey out since the defeat to Birmingham over two months ago.

Josh Sheehan has missed the last few games with a hamstring injury, and Scott Arfield hasn’t played since the trip to Walsall, though the veteran could return to training this week following a minor calf issue.

John McAtee has been played in a deeper role at times this season after joining from Luton in the summer.

Ian Evatt stated last week that Carlos Mendes Gomes could be involved in Wycombe’s ambitions. The dynamic midfielder has been sidelined with an Achilles ailment since February.

Matt Bloomfield’s side comes into the game off a 4-1 victory over Shrewsbury, with goals from Beryly Lubala, Caleb Taylor, Fred Onyedinma, and Dan Udoh.

The Chairboys have gone 17 games unbeaten in the league, with their two defeats coming against Birmingham and Wrexham.