Darren Moore confirms major injury blow for Doncaster Rovers

The latest blow to befall Rovers is the news that Tyreece John-Jules - on loan from Arsenal - will be out for 'two to three months' with a serious hamstring problem, although Moore has confirmed that the club plan to keep his loan spot open, should the 19-year-old be fit again before the end of the campaign.

Rovers head south without John-Jules, James Coppinger and Madger Gomes, while young players AJ Greaves and Branden Horton are cup-tied. Better news sees Reece James return from suspension.

Confirming the length of absence for John-Jules, who suffered his injury in Saturday’s League One victory at Swindon Town and has returned to his parent club, Moore - unlikely to bring in any new signings in time for the Cup date in the capital - said: “He is going to be out for a little while and we anticipate that he is going to miss two to three months of the campaign.

“It is quite a lengthy one in terms of time-scale and the schedule of the season. It is a lot of games. We wish him a speedy recovery.

“It is a sad loss for us and a player of that ilk and quality. We will keep the loan alive to show our side and that if he has a speedy recovery, there’s an opportunity for him to come back and still be a part of the season.”

And on his numbers count ahead of Rovers’ first-ever trip to the London Stadium and if he will be able to fill nine slots on his bench, he added: “No, we are not.

“In terms of that, we are thinking of getting some of the under-18s tested, just in case really - to make sure we can make up the team.

“I think it is nine on the bench on Saturday and we have not got the bodies for that, really. But we will take what is available down there and go on from there.

“Reece is back from suspension and Joe Wright is back. As regards James Coppinger and Madger Gomes, they are still some time away.”