LEWIS O’Brien is fit and raring to go again for City’s Yorkshire derby at Barnsley.

The young midfielder has trained this week without a problem from the injury that forced him off in the first half against Accrington on New Year’s Day.

Hope Akpan is also available as City’s impressive run of recent form faces the acid test.

David Hopkin has made his admiration clear for the Tykes, who are unbeaten at Oakwell since March. He expects them to be pushing for a top-two finish.

The Bantams boss said: “We need to be organised and hard to play against. That’s got to be our plan.

“They have a fantastic home record and you can see why.

“We know it’s going to be a very difficult game but we’re going there with a good following. We’re in good form and we need to make sure we try to pose them problems.”

Paudie O’Connor is likely to be on the bench after his loan capture from Leeds. The Irish centre half has already caught Hopkin’s eye by putting himself about at Apperley Bridge.

“You can see in training that he’s a full-blooded character,” he said.

“Paudie’s a young kid who wants to do well in football and he’ll bring a wee bit of steeliness, grit and determination to our back three.

“He trains the way he plays, which I like, and he’s brought something different to us.

“He’ll push the three we’ve got for a starting position because he’s desperate to play.”

With O’Connor’s arrival, Hopkin has switched his focus in the transfer window to further up the pitch.

He is eyeing another central midfielder to fill the hole left by Jim O’Brien’s exit and new faces on the wing and up front.

“We’ve made a few offers for players and we’re just waiting on teams getting back to us,” added Hopkin. “Hopefully we’ll get one done by early next week.”

Kai Bruenker’s return to Germany leaves City without a target man on the books but Hopkin won’t necessarily focus on finding that type of frontman.

He said: “I don’t think it’s a necessity.

“Yeah I’d like it but there aren’t many targetmen about.

“If one becomes available and I can get him in, then I will do. But it’s not our main priority.

“If I can get a striker in with good movement who can score goals, then that’s the type I will go for.”

As revealed in the Telegraph & Argus, City are keen on Bournemouth's Sam Surridge who has just returned to the Premier League club from a loan spell at Oldham.