SUMMER signing Femi Ilesanmi is the only player to have played every minute of City’s opening two pre-season games.

But Worthington believes there is left-back cover for the ex-Dagenham defender from within the squad and reckons the club’s utility men can compensate for carrying fewer senior professionals.

He said: “Anthony Straker can play left back, Tom Platt can go right-back if required and Michael Coulson can play on either flank, as well as up front.

“We have a few players who can go into different positions and do a job for the team. We have a streamlined squad that we are very happy with from a quality and experience point of view and, if we do get injuries, the loan market is there to dip into if we need to.”

Dan Parslow and Wes Fletcher have both travelled to Scotland for the club’s week-long training camp and continue to make progress in their respective comebacks from cruciate and medial ligament damage, with Worthington adding: “Pars has been training with us from the start of pre-season but has been non-contact.

“With his honesty and endeavour, though, he has started a bit of contact stuff and that’s come from him. We are building him up and he might get some game time before the start of the season.

“Wes might be able to join in full training next week and, then, it’s a case of training him up fitness wise and, when the time is right, giving him some game time.”