Nathan Thomas will be assessed after limping out of Carlisle United’s draw with Morecambe.

Thomas is the latest injury concern at Brunton Park after his 49th-minute withdrawal. Head coach Chris Beech said: “I’ll have to speak to Dolly (physio Neil Dalton) and see where we are with it.”

Beech will hope Thomas can quickly recover from the knock, the forward having been a regular part of his side.

Beech added: “He had a couple of ricochets and rumbles with [Morecambe’s Jordan] Cranston, got the better of him at times, at times the ball spilled out in their favour.

“He was taking pot shots because that’s what he does, and he has excellent quality – he’s been excellent for 18-19 games, he’s got seven goals and four assists in that time that I’ve been here, so I can only credit Nathan Thomas.”

Beech is also glad to have Harry McKirdy back after a two-game absence.

The ex-Aston Villa man returned as Thomas’s substitute replacement against the Shrimps.

United’s boss said: “It’s important. He is important. He’s scored 11 goals and was excellent in that period for us – the FA Cup period he was really good.

“I have no doubt he’ll get back at it before the end of the season.

“He was always going to come on [on Saturday] at some point – I was toying with the idea, we played with, really, three strikers but it’s hard in the wind, when you’ve got it, sometimes it’s always running away from you, and when you haven’t got it it’s hard to get it up to them.

“You’re almost playing formations for the conditions as well.

“If anything, on the formation I picked, I’d have preferred to have been playing against it initially.

“But it didn’t work out like that. You’re then changing it, taking risks and challenging the lads to say, ‘go on, go and win it’.”

Beech also insisted United have taken the right approach with Callum Guy with the midfielder having undergone surgery that will rule him out for the rest of the season.

The Blues boss said: “It’s mad isn’t it – we were talking quite confidently last Saturday about thinking he’ll be fine, but the surgeon sees him and thinks the medial ligament’s a little bit looser, on inspection.

“He could have taken the risk of not having an operation but he may have then needed one two or three weeks down his rehab.

“You make those decisions. We are not safe [yet in the division] and I do want every player available as fast as possible for our cause, but it was the right decision to make sure Callum’s fully fit for pre-season.”