Peter Taylor is preparing to shuffle City’s central defensive resources to see them through the Christmas rush.

The weekend injury to Rob Kiernan was the latest blow to the most jinxed department of the side.

The on-loan youngster’s hamstring problem is not serious but it does leave Taylor carefully nursing his options for the hectic holiday schedule.

Luke Oliver also felt a pain in his hamstring after the Hereford game while Steve Williams and Shane Duff – who is back in full training – are still being nursed back into contention from their lay-offs.

Both could be in the mix for Saturday’s trip to Crewe but Taylor is mindful of the punishing period to come.

He admitted: “It’s a balancing act. We certainly don’t want to play somebody if they’re not quite right and it’s going to put them out for a long while.

“We’ve got five games in 16 days over the Christmas period and I will be looking to change things round.”

Kiernan has been getting treatment this week but Taylor hopes to keep the Watford teenager involved after his best performance for City.

“He’s a young lad who has had a couple of nervous games so he was under pressure but I thought he was very good.

“He showed some calmness on the ball, which is what we need at home, and made some very good decisions.”

Williams has not featured since the FA Cup over a month ago. He was pencilled in to return against Hereford but suffered a setback.

Taylor said: “We thought he was going to be all right. Then, all of a sudden, he came in last Wednesday morning feeling the same muscle he pulled against Colchester.

“It was a nightmare for us. But we pulled him out straight away and hopefully that means he won’t be too bad for this weekend.

“Shane is training again and has done all we’ve been looking for. But Luke’s also got a bit of a hamstring (injury) as well so we’ve got to be careful.

“Injuries have caused us a few problems (at centre half) this year and that’s why we’ve had to get loan players in. The ones we bring in are good players anyway but obviously it takes time for them to settle in.”

Zesh Rehman’s position in the squad remains doubtful after being stripped of the club captaincy.

Taylor suggested at the time that the door would be left open but he was not even on the bench against Hereford.

Striker Jason Price was pressed into an emergency defensive role in the final stages after Kiernan limped off.

Taylor added: “I didn’t want to consider him, simple as that. Zesh trained with us all week but wasn’t going to be in the 18.”