Thorniley & Ekpiteta: Blackpool's injury state of play ahead of must-win Cardiff City game

The defender was due to start in the derby against Preston North End last weekend before going down with a late bug.

It saw the 26-year-old drop out of the line-up and the squad altogether, with Jordan Gabriel taking his place in the back three.

But, speaking ahead of Good Friday’s six-pointer against his former side, head coach Mick McCarthy was hopeful of having the centre-back available to him.

“He should be okay. He’s in the squad for Friday,” he told The Gazette.

When asked how much of a miss he was at Deepdale, McCarthy added: “It didn’t help, that’s for sure. Jordan has been excellent in the games he’s played, so just having to change it when we did, it was in the pre-match meal, it doesn’t help when you’ve planned things.

“But let’s hope he’s okay now.”

There’s nothing else to report on the injury front, meaning Marvin Ekpiteta, Charlie Goode, Liam Bridcutt, Kevin Stewart, Tom Trybull, Shayne Lavery, Jake Beesley and Gary Madine all remain sidelined.

Ekpiteta’s continued absence is a source of frustration given the defender was initially scheduled to be back by the end of February after injuring his hamstring in the defeat to Watford in January.

Providing a latest update on the defender’s recovery, McCarthy said: “He might be back the last week of this month, that’s what we’re looking at. So he’s not ready yet.”