BARNSLEY are due to complete their 2025 fixtures at home to Lincoln City tonight from 7.45pm.
It will be a third meeting in less than seven weeks with the Imps who won 2-0 at Oakwell in November 11 in the EFL Trophy then 3-1 at Sincil Bank earlier this month, with Barnsley conceding the winner 12 seconds after Davis Keillor-Dunn levelled.
Michael Skubala’s team are in second place, three points off leaders Cardiff City who they beat 2-1 at home last weekend.
They are 13 points clear of mid-table Barnsley who have three games in hand.
While they have the best home record in the division, Lincoln had not won away in the league for five games since September before beating Stockport 2-1 on Boxing Day.
The Reds beat Lincoln 4-3 at home last season with goals scored by Keillor-Dunn, Adam Phillips, Georgie Gent and Max Watters.
Barnsley were without Fabio Jalo in the Boxing Day loss to Mansfield.
Hourihane said: “He just needs to get fitter.
“The real impact, power and explosiveness Fabio brings that I’d like to see just isn’t quite there at the minute.
“He’s had a long lay off.
“We felt over the last two or three days that he needs some real work in to him to get back to a place where we feel like he can really impact at this level.”
Nathanael Ogbeta and Georgie Gent have also missed recent matches through injury - but is anyone expected to return?
“Fabio might come back into the squad, potentially,” Hourihane said.
“But in terms of starting for the time being, Fabio is just not quite there yet.
“And we need to get him up to speed because we know when he’s up to speed he can be very effective at this level.
“Reyes was obviously really struggling in the last ten minutes with cramp.
“It’s going to be a big ask for him to play all the time.
“He needs protecting.”
