Weekend Briefing: Ins, out and injury doubts for the weekend football

Grimsby's forlorn task of beating the drop from the Football League got harder last week when Stefan Payne decided to headbutt his own teammate against Bradford.

Payne clashed with Filipe Morais as the Mariners players were heading off the pitch at half-time and was shown the red card.

It means Payne sits out Saturday's mustn't-lose showdown against red-hot Bolton and it remains to be seen if Morais, whom Paul Hurst immediately hauled off after the incident, will keep his place.

Grimsby are already resigned to being without Mattie Pollock after hernia surgery and Hurst has dismissed any faint hopes that either Idris El-Mizouni or Max Wright might be back this season. On-loan keeper Jake Eastwood is also a major doubt.

Stuttgart short of Marc

Stuttgart head into Saturday's crunch showdown at Union Berlin without defender Marc Kempf, who is suspended.

Kempf picked up his fifth yellow card in last week's 3-2 home loss to Borussia Dortmund which lost them ground in the race for a Europa League place.

Stuttgart are also without Orel Mangala, six-goal Nicolas Gonzalez and Gonzalo Castro.

Key man set for Rovers return

Doncaster's League One promotion hopes are in tatters following five straight losses but some positive injury news might persuade punters to think they can stop the bleeding at Shrewsbury.

The big plus from the Keepmoat is that super-talented youngster Tyreece John-Jules, a loanee from Arsenal, is set to be available after recovering from a hamstring. The 20-year-old, who has scored three goals in 11 since moving to South Yorkshire, has been out since January and it's no coincidence that the club has dropped like a stone since.

Reece James, who missed Tuesday's 3-0 rout by Burton, should also be back after a concussion issue.

Parma in major peril

Parma can ill afford to lose at Cagliari if they are to avoid relegation but they will potentially be without almost an entire team.

The latest absentee is Swedish centre-back Riccardo Gagliolo, who was booked during last week's 3-1 defeat by Milan (in which he scored) and is suspended.

Parma are already without midfielders Simon Sohm and Juan Brunetta, while Wylan Cyprien and Joshua Zirkzee won't play again this season and six-goal top scorer Hernani is one of several other doubts.

Sunderland still struggling

Sunderland's showdown at Blackpool is the game of the weekend in League One and Black Cats gaffer Lee Johnson has a defensive headache to solve.

Conor McLaughlin limped out of the warm-up prior to Tuesday's 2-1 loss against Wigan, the second of successive defeats which have damaged their automatic promotion hopes.

Dion Sanderson's back injury flared up again in that game as well making him a doubt for the trip to in-form Blackpool.

Sunderland are already without Jordan Willis and Tom Flanagan and are hoping neither Bailey Wright nor Denver Hume shows any reaction after returning from layoffs.

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