When Ollie Norwood is set for Stockport County return - Bolton Wanderers & Bradford City may be on alert | OneFootball

Stockport County midfielder Ollie Norwood is set to make his return from injury this week, which may concern Bolton Wanderers and Bradford City.

Stockport County midfielder Ollie Norwood could make his return from injury against Mansfield Town on Saturday in what would be a big boost for Dave Challinor's side.

Norwood has scored five goals and provided four assists in 17 appearances for Stockport this season, but he has been sidelined since early November after undergoing surgery on a blood clot in his leg.

Prior to Norwood's injury, the Hatters had won four consecutive games as their promotion charge began to gather momentum, but they have won just one of the five league games he has missed, as well as being knocked out of the FA Cup at the second round stage on penalties by League Two side Cambridge United.

Stockport's poor form continued as they were beaten 3-1 by fellow promotion hopefuls Stevenage at Edgeley Park on Saturday, and they are now sixth in the League One table, five points behind second-placed Bradford City and nine points behind leaders Cardiff City.

The Hatters will be looking to get their season back on track when they make the trip to face an out-of-form Mansfield side who have picked up just one point from their past five games at the One Call Stadium on Saturday, and Challinor may be able to welcome Norwood back into the squad against the Stags.

Dave Challinor provides Ollie Norwood, Stockport County injury update ahead of Mansfield Town clash

Speaking after the defeat to Stevenage on Saturday, Challinor revealed that Norwood could be in contention to make his return either against Mansfield this weekend or against Lincoln City on Boxing Day.

"There is a definitely a chance. He will join in training in the week and all things being equal, and nothing going adverse, there is a chance for some involvement against Mansfield," Challinor told the club's official YouTube channel.

"If it is not Mansfield then he should be available here against Lincoln."

Norwood's injury has coincided with Stockport's decline in form, but Challinor insists that the current run of results cannot simply be put down to his captain's absence, and he warned the rest of his squad that he will need to make changes if things do not improve soon.

"As much as Ollie is massively important to us I don't see how him being on the pitch well it doesn't stop any of those goals we've conceded [against Stevenage] let's be clear," Challinor said.

"If Ollie comes back next week or the week after then all of a sudden we start winning. If that's the case brilliant but I think it is more than that.

"You don't need to be a rocket scientist to see that some players are struggling a little bit at the minute and finding it tough.

"That is the third game in five when we have conceded three goals and they are probably making the game look more difficult than it is. Whether that is a mentality thing or a confidence thing you need to overcome that.

"We are here to win and if you can't deal with that or can't do the things that are required to allow that to happen there obviously needs to be change."

Challinor may be keen to play down the impact Norwood's injury has had on his side, but with Stockport picking up just four points out of a possible 15 while he has been unavailable, it is clear to see that he has seriously been missed.

The Hatters were just starting to find their form prior to Norwood undergoing surgery, and, indeed, they sat top of the table as recently as early November, so Challinor will certainly be hoping that the 34-year-old can help his side get back to those levels.

While Norwood's imminent return is a huge boost for Stockport, it is less positive news for the likes of Bolton Wanderers and Bradford City, who currently sit two and five points above Challinor's men in the table respectively.

The Trotters and the Bantams may look in a better position to achieve promotion as things stand, but they will know just how relentless the Hatters can be when they are firing on all cylinders, and as Challinor begins to get more of his key players back available, it may not be too long until they put together another of the winning runs that have become a regular feature of his tenure.