FA Cup preview

Last updated : 02 January 2010 By Paul Stevens

Hughton has only one major absentee with midfielder Joey Barton nearing a comeback following a lengthy lay-off with a foot injury.

However, with loan signings Zurab Khizanishvili and Marlon Harewood having returned to Blackburn and Aston Villa respectively, Hughton could protect some of his key men with promotion from the Championship the club's main priority.

That could mean chances for the likes keeper Tim Krul, defender Tamas Kadar and striker Nile Ranger, who have had to remain patient in recent weeks.

There could be a place too for vastly-experienced midfielder Nicky Butt, who deputised for the suspended Alan Smith at Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day but returned to the bench for Monday night's 0-0 draw with Derby.

Paul Mariner will be forced to change his winning line-up.

Mariner had named the same starting line-up for the past two matches, his first two wins in charge coming with a 1-0 success at Cardiff last Saturday before a 4-1 rout of Reading at Home Park on Monday.

Central defender Reda Johnson - paired with impressive Iceland international Kari Arnason for both games - is unavailable as he is on African Nations Cup duty with Benin.

With Dutch defender Marcel Seip having joined Sheffield United on loan, Mariner can select from fit-again Chris Barker and Hungary international Krisztian Timar or switch left-back Gary Sawyer to centre-half.

Sporting Life