League Two leaders Newport will check on defender Liam Shephard ahead of the visit of Port Vale.

Shephard missed the defeat at Carlisle and the FA Cup victory over Leyton Orient with a knee problem but had the chance to rest with County not in action during the international break.

Captain Joss Labadie will hope to overcome a hamstring injury while Kyle Howkins (hamstring), Saikou Janneh (hamstring) and Lewis Collins (ankle) are nearing returns.

Manager Michael Flynn will hope Josh Sheehan, Tom King, Brandon Cooper and Aaron Lewis return from international duty unscathed but striker Ryan Taylor (hamstring) is still out.

Vale are again without midfielder Luke Joyce through suspension.

Joyce is sitting out the second game of his three-match ban for his recent sending off against Tranmere.

It is unclear when defender Zak Mills will return having been self-isolating following a positive test for the Covid-19.

Fellow defender James Gibbons remains a long-term absentee after hamstring surgery.