Bradford City suffered more injury trouble today with the news that right back Stephen Wright will be out of action for several weeks.

The former Rangers player who joined City during the summer had an exploratory operation on his right knee last night after being carried off during Saturday's 2-1 win against Barnsley following a tangle with Jan Aage Fjortoft.

The surgeon discovered a slight tear in his medial ligament and the knee was put in a brace. City physiotherapist Steve Redmond said: "He hopes to be back in light training in four weeks and we will take it from there."

Top scorer Lee Mills is hoping to send his former Port Vale team-mates home empty handed from Valley Parade tonight as City seek to extend their unbeaten sequence.

City go into tonight's match full of confidence after an unbeaten run of five league and cup matches, including four consecutive wins in 12 days, but Mills warns that Vale's game plan is to frustrate opposing teams and supporters.

Mills, who was a Vale player until six weeks ago when he joined City in a £1 million deal, said: "I have had a word with Paul Jewell about what the side will be. Away from home they play five in midfield and one lone striker to make it difficult for home teams.

"What we need is to go out from the word go and try to score an early goal. Of course, it would be smashing to score against my old mates and keep our unbeaten run going."

The match presents selection problems for manager Paul Jewell after striker Gordon Watson came off the substitute's bench to score two goals in three minutes and win the match for City.

"To have so many strikers all pressing their claims is a great headache to have," said Jewell.

"Nothing is certain in football and we must show the same attitude and character that we showed against Barnsley.

"Our supporters also have a part to play. They got behind us in the last 25 minutes and pulled us through."

Fourth from bottom Vale, who narrowly escaped relegation last season, are struggling again, but Jewell warns: "They always make you fight for everything and only if we are 100 per cent committed and tuned-in will we get the result we crave."

Isaiah Rankin and Lee Todd are the latest players to go down with the sickness bug, but both have been included in the squad.

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