Callum Guy is set to travel with the Carlisle United squad to Stevenage as boss Keith Millen sounded an optimistic note on the captain’s fitness.

Midfielder Guy was replaced in the second half of Tuesday’s defeat at Mansfield with a groin problem.

Millen said it was a precautionary substitution – and the signs are that the approach has worked.

“It was hopefully a good decision to bring Callum off when we did on Tuesday,” Millen said in his press conference today.

“He’ll travel with us, so it will be the same squad that we had on Tuesday.”

Millen said 25-year-old Guy’s problem does not appear as concerning as it might have been.

“He’s better than I was expecting, I’ve got to be honest,” Millen said.

“He wanted to carry on [at Mansfield], to be fair to him. He’s playing really well, like a real captain at the moment.

“I don’t want to take him off but also thought if he carried on and there was something there, it could end up being weeks and I can’t afford to lose Callum for a period of time.

“It was the right decision to bring him off. It looks like we’ve settled it down pretty quick.

“Today was more precautionary; we’ve still got 48 hours before the game. There was no need for any risk – I’m confident he’ll be ok for Saturday.”

Guy’s availability, for a key game near the foot of League Two, will be welcome at a time third-bottom United have a range of other injury issues, with the likes of Zach Clough, Lewis Alessandra, Joe Riley, Gie Ture and Lukas Jensen sidelined.

Millen hopes at least two of that number might return for part of the busy festive period.

“It’s not ideal,” he said of United’s injury list.

“I’m hoping maybe Zach, maybe Joe might be around [for] the busy Christmas period. That would be the best-case scenario really.

“After Saturday we’ve got a couple of free weeks [without a midweek game], which gives us a little bit of time to recharge the batteries, and hopefully in two weeks we might get a couple back.”