Charlton v Bristol City

Charlton's need to arrest their down-table slide at home to Bristol City on Tuesday night has not be helped by one-match suspensions to influential skipper Mark Hudson and fellow defender Jose Semedo who were both sent-off in Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Cardiff.

Manager Alan Pardew could deploy left-back Kelly Youga alongside Linvoy Primus in central defence with Grant Basey recalled to the starting line-up at left-back. Right-back Martin Cranie, who gave way to Semedo at half-time, is likely to start.

Though the Addicks languish in a deeply disappointing 19th place, Pardew insists dressing-room moral is strong.

"I don't think I'll have a job lifting the players to face Bristol City," he said. "Yes, we had a disappointing result at Cardiff and because we were reduced to 9-men we used a lot of legs.

"In terms of confidence and form on Saturday, while we had 11 players on the field we were as good, if not better than Cardiff."

With two defenders missing, Primus will take on a key role for Charlton. It is an amazing turnaround for a player who feared his career was finished after 16 months on the sidelines.

Primus has publicly thanked top United States surgeon Richard Steadman following two career-saving operations on a knee-cap and cartilage in Colorado.

“I was very down because I thought it was the end of the road for me,” he admitted. “But Mr Steadman was convinced I would play again.

“I followed his rehabilitation programme to the letter and now I’m back playing again thanks to him.”

Primus insisted he was not using his old club as a vehicle to regain full fitness.

“I’m here because I want to help Charlton push on,” he added. “I wasn’t going to come here, sit around and make up the numbers.

“I want to play again in the Premiership but whether that’s with Portsmouth or Charlton we’ll have to wait and see.”