Mantom will not be rushed back
Walsall boss Dean Smith has refused to rush Sam Mantom's recovery but insisted the midfielder is nearing a return.
The Saddlers' reigning player of the year is yet to feature this season after suffering a knee injury in the summer.
He has had several setbacks since playing against Aston Villa in a pre-season friendly in August and Smith will give him time.
"He is frustrated with it, after the Villa game we thought he'd be pushing for the first game of the season and we're at the 10th game now so it's disappointing," Smith told Press Association Sport.
"We don't want to put him under any pressure, he's putting pressure on himself to get back but he's getting closer."
But Jordan Cook and Ben Purkiss are available after ankle injuries which have kept them out since the summer.
Winger Cook was on the bench for Saturday's 3-0 win over Doncaster and featured for the development side in their 1-1 draw with Stoke on Wednesday.
Cook, along with Purkiss, is also yet to play this season as he starts his second spell with the Saddlers after a loan stay in 2011.
Smith said: "It was good to have him on the bench on Saturday. I promised Jon Whitney (physio) I wouldn't give him more than 15 minutes but he didn't get on in the end.
"He had shown enough in training on the Thursday and Friday to twist Jon's arm."
The 17th-placed Saddlers host leaders Bristol City in Sky Bet League One on Saturday but Smith believes they can handle the division's unbeaten pacesetters.
He said: "They had a really good end to last season and have had a really good start this time. They have (Kieran) Agard, (Luke) Freeman and (Aaron) Wilbraham all scoring goals.
"But we have a good defence with Andy Butler and Paul Downing in the middle with James O'Connor right and Andy Taylor left.
"Now we also have James Chambers and Ben Purkiss pushing for places."