CARLISLE United midfielder Owen Moxon is a 'doubt' for the Blues' clash with Northampton Town this weekend, according to Paul Simpson.

Carlisle welcomes Jon Brady's Cobblers to Brunton Park off the back of their 3-0 defeat against Neil Critchley's Blackpool last time out.

In this match at Bloomfield Road, Blues star Moxon was forced off with a hip injury, with the extent of the injury unknown by the Carlisle boss at full-time.

However, ahead of the Blues' return to Warwick Road, Simpson provided an update on the midfielder's fitness and the potential time frame for his absence.

He said: "He has had treatment all week, he has been and had an injection in the hip joint to see if that settles it down.

"As it stands he is a doubt for the weekend. If he doesn't make Saturday then he should be okay for the weekend after but we are just going to have to manage that, keep our eye on it, and see how he goes over the next few days.

Simpson also provided positive updates on the returns of Taylor Charters and captain Paul Huntington, which also suggested that striker JJ Kayode could be in line for a return to action in new year.

He said: "There is some postive news on Jack Ellis who has been training for the last week. Paul Huntington and Taylor Charters were in full training as of Monday so they are getting back up to speed.

JJ Kayode got given the all-clear to join full contact training so he trained today [Thursday] so hopefully whether it can be Port Vale of Exeter away we should have him involved.

Injury problems have plagued clubs up and down the English pyramid, with Simpson discussing the similarities between the Blues and some of the Premier League's big hitters.

However, he did gleefully admit that there appears to be some positivity surrounding Carlisle's injury list.

He said: "This is what we need to do, we need to get them back in and there is no point bleating about injuries because every time I watch the TV everybody is suffering. 

"You look at Newcastle United and Manchester United this week who have got massive medical teams and, I'll be honest, better training facilities and they are picking up injuries so we are just like everyone else.

"The good thing is we can see a light at the end of the tunnel."