Southend host Essex rivals Colchester with a striker shortage at Roots Hall.
Derby day at Roots Hall as Shrimpers host Us
Southend host Essex rivals Colchester with a striker shortage at Roots Hall as Dougie Freedman and Lee Barnard are both ruled out.
Freedman remains short of match fitness as he bids to overcome the thigh problem that has plagued him for the past fortnight.
Meanwhile, Barnard is still struggling with a hamstring injury despite receiving a pain-killing injection to try and alleviate the problem last week.
But the strike duo are the Shrimpers' only injury absentees as manager Steve Tilson looks likely to name an unchanged side.
Frenchman Francis Laurent is set to continue up front after putting in an impressive display in his side's 1-0 triumph over Leeds.
Southend are currently just a point outside the League One play-off places and will be looking to step up their promotion challenge with a derby victory.
Colchester news
Colchester will again be without striker Steven Gillespie when they make the short trip across Essex for what is a hotly-anticipated derby.
The Us' £400,000 record signing suffered another hamstring strain early on during Saturday's 5-0 win over Carlisle and is expected to be ruled out for around a fortnight.
Akanni-Sunday Wasiu or Scott Vernon will step in alongside Clive Platt in attack, although manager Paul Lambert is also scouring the loan market for reinforcements.
Centre-half Paul Reid missed Colchester's resounding first victory at their new Community Stadium with a foot injury and faces a late fitness check.
Left-back Matt Lockwood needs a couple of reserve games following his recent lay-off with tendinitis.
The Us' midweek trip to Northampton was postponed due to heavy snow at Sixfields.
