Chris Agutter has been able to welcome back a number of players during the week, having enjoyed an extra full week of training after last Saturday’s visit to Scunthorpe United was postponed.

Hayden Muller (ankle), Jack Taylor (leg), Jake Taylor (hamstring) and Brandon Njoku (knee) have all returned to full training after playing with a variety of knocks recently, along with Alex Woodyard (knee) who has been absent entirely since returning to make a handful of appearances against Guildford City, AFC Telford United and Eastleigh and Morecambe at the start of November.

Muller and Jake Taylor both limped off against Solihull Moors and Aldershot Town respectively, while Jack Taylor was restricted to the bench at the ARMCO Arena before returning to the side for the final two games of 2025, joining his namesake and Muller in showing their determination to appear despite being unable to recover in time, along with Njoku who returned to action in almost a month against Aldershot and Southend United.

In addition, Liam Vincent (ankle) and Ashley Nadesan (knee) are back in non-contact training after struggling with longer term injuries, though the visit of York City will come too soon for the duo.

“We’ve got nearly all of them back on the training pitch apart from Liam Vincent and Naders; all the others are in full contact and back training which is great news. Jack Taylor is still a bit of a question mark but he is training.”

“Liam Vincent and Naders are back in training but they’re not full contact yet, but they’re not a million miles away.”

Kai Jennings will likely miss the clash with York with fatigue after playing this week in a behind closed doors friendly for AFC Wimbledon, as well as training with his parent club during the U’s usual day off.

The midfielder, who has extended his loan deal until the end of the season, has played every game since arriving at the VBS Community Stadium, including every minute with the exception of the final 24 minutes in the National League Cup against Southampton.

“He will probably be unavailable for selection which is a blow but we’ve got to do what’s right by Kai in terms of managing his load.”

“He’s put in a hell of a shift for us and it would be poor of us to wheel him out there against York; he’s not injured but we need to be really consciences about his load.”

On a more positive note, the Head Coach was able to welcome three new players to his ranks, with Dubem Eze, Chris Haigh and Besart Topallaj all arriving at Gander Green Lane on permanent deals, with Agutter citing the depth and quality that will trio will offer his side heading into the second half of the season.

“It’s the depth that we spoke about; not just numbers for the sake of it but real quality that can compete with the starting XI, that pushes players that currently have the shirt.”

“Ultimately if the level of performance falls short, we now have more ability to make changes and there certainly won’t be the drop off in performance than perhaps where we’ve been a bit light.”

“Also variety; Eze has come in and been excellent, an attacking midfield player, can pay wide as well but we see him more as a central attacking midfield player – plays in the same position as Jayden Harris and Lewis Simper but plays it very differently so that gives us nice variation.”

“With the additions that we’ve made, I think that helps. We’re looking to add one more centre back as well and we’re hoping to get that done over the next week which again will help further in terms of stopping the goals going in at the other end.”

The Head Coach was especially full of praise for Topallaj, who will go straight into the side to make his first Sutton appearance since the visit of Woking on the final day of the 2024/25 campaign.

“Bes – what a player he is. When it became clear he could be available we were really keen to bring him back to the football club, really pleased that we could attract him back to the football club as he had an awful lot of interest across the leagues so that’s a real statement from us.”

“He’ll come straight into the starting lineup and you see on the training pitch he improves us – he’s raised the level.”

“Chris Haigh is someone I’ve worked with previously – he was the number one at Worthing last year.”

“We felt he can really help us competing first and foremost for the number one shirt – pushing Jack Sims and David Aziaya and also in general just an incredibly good character around the group, a real leader, another man, someone who’s got real experience.”

“And on top of that in the coaching role he brings a real skillset and he’s outstanding in terms of developing goalkeepers; he’s been working at Tottenham and a few other clubs and he did a lot of work with goalkeepers at Worthing as well and he’s outstanding in that department.”

“Really, really happy with those additions and appreciative of the board.”