YORK City Knights boss James Ford will make four possibly five changes to his side for Saturday’s big third-versus-second clash in the Betfred Championship.

The Knights welcome French full-timers Toulouse Olympique for a potential humdinger at Bootham Crescent (3pm), with Ford duly bringing in three of his rested-up big guns for the game.

Liam Salter, Graeme Horne and Sam Scott all as expected return to the 17 after sitting out last week’s 1895 Cup win over Newcastle Thunder, as does on loan Harry Aldous, who was not allowed to play against his parent club that day.

Perry Whiteley, a try-scorer in the 30-26 defeat to Toulouse in France, is also recalled to the 19-man squad after being dropped last week, with Ford to decide whether he or Jason Bass will fill the right-ring berth.

Junior Vaivai and Will Oakes – both on loan from Hull KR, with whom Ford has been heavily linked - continue to pair up on the left flank.

Kevin Brown, Mike Kelly and teenage Leeds loanee Tyler Dupree drop out of the 19.

Aldous, having previously been utilised at prop, is likely to switch to the second row in place of Josh Jordan-Roberts who will become 18th man.

Said Ford: “Harry can play either role. He probably is more of a back-rower or loose-forward than a prop, though there’s not much difference between packing down at 13 or in the front row in terms of how we play.

“In either position he can utilise his best qualities. He’s aggressive and very good in contact – he’s an intimidating young man. I’m pleased to be able to include him again.”

Toulouse, who had a break from action last week given they are not involved in the 1895 Cup, will have most of their big guns involved, although Aussie back-row Rhys Curran, often a key performer, is again missing having also been sidelined when they hammered Leigh 44-16 at their Blagnac base last time out.

Coach Sylvain Houles is set to make a couple of changes in personnel from that day, bringing Tony Maurel onto the wing for dual-reg Catalans player Jodie Broughton and replacing Jordan Dezaria in the pack ranks with Clement Boyer.

Asked where their main threats lay, Ford said: “Right across the field.

“The first thing is to make sure our transitions from attack to defence are very tidy. If we’re loose, the full-back Mark Kheirallah can change momentum with his speed, agility and rugby IQ. He’s right up there with the best in that side of the game.

“Johnathon Ford (half-back) combines really well with him and he’s an obvious dangerman too.

“But they’ve also got big physical things in the middle. (Paterika) Vaivai is a handful, (Maxime) Puech is a physical bloke, and they have class on the edges with the likes of Constantine Mika and James Bell.

“But we’re not going to complain about coming up against a side like that.

“We desperately wanted to be in this competition testing ourselves against sides like Toulouse.

“If we deliver a performance we will be right in there come the end of the game. I know my boys are really strong mentally and if we play a nine or 10 out of 10 game and put Toulouse under pressure, we will see where they’re at.”

Knights (probable): Marsh, Bass/Whiteley, Salter, J Vaivai, Oakes, Harris, Robinson, Teanby, Jubb, Blagbrough, Aldous, Scott, Spears. Subs: Brining, Horne, Stock, Porter. Standby: Jordan-Roberts.

Toulouse (possible): Kheirallah, Maurel, Marguerite, Jussuame, Marcon, Ford, Robin, Peuch, Marion, Boyer, Mika, Bell, Evans. Subs: from Parata, Vaivai, Hepi, Santi, Barthau, Sangare.