Carlisle United hope skipper Danny Grainger will be ready to make a much-needed return to action this weekend as they try to end their Brunton Park blues.

The Cumbrian defender was an unused sub as he returned to the squad for the first time in two months for the defeat to Yeovil.

Grainger has been out with a calf injury since the August 25 victory against Crewe - the last league game which saw a Carlisle goal and win at home.

A recurrence of the problem led to an extended spell out but the experienced left-back, United’s longest-serving player, is now set to rejoin the Blues’ campaign.

Assistant manager Tommy Wright admitted Saturday was too soon to throw the 32-year-old back into the side but he should be closer to contention for the visit of Newport.

“We thought it was a bit early, because he’d only trained about three days,” Wright said.

“He had the injury then had a recurrence, when he tweaked it.

“So we have to be careful with him. But he will get this full week’s training and that will do him a lot of good.”

Grainger’s comeback is timely with another player, Jamie Devitt, having also returned from the sidelines.

United have other injury concerns but Wright said the number of absentees cannot be blamed for their struggles.

“Hallam [Hope] is probably another two or three weeks, same with [Tom] Parkesy,” said John Sheridan’s No2.

“But everybody gets injuries. We won’t make that as an excuse. There were enough good players out there to win on Saturday.”

Wright also claimed that Saturday’s decision to give Anthony Gerrard the captaincy was because of the centre-half’s vocal nature.

Gary Liddle has mostly worn the armband in Grainger’s absence but even as he returned from injury to claim his place in the side, the honour was given to Gerrard.

“Gez [Gerrard] was probably a bigger voice,” Wright said. “Lids is a terrific player but we just thought Gez was better at this moment to be captain.”

The coach added: “It was nice to hear Danny’s voice in the dressing room on Saturday. Gerrard talks a bit as well, as does Kelvin [Etuhu]. We need three or four more talking.”

United are in desperate need of a change of fortune at home with a fifth straight Brunton Park loss drawing their first sub-4,000 Saturday league crowd for more than three years.

Wright says he and his colleagues must draw on their experience to bring about an improvement.

“You have to stay calm, to a certain degree - it can change quickly, a good win changes everything,” he said.

“The longer it goes on, the tougher it gets, because of the confidence and mentality thing.

“We’ll stay calm, look at the bigger picture, and go through things with the players.

“There are good players here, but we must make it change.

“It doesn’t just happen. We’ve got to make it happen.”