Mark Hughes demands Bradford City bravery to go toe-to-toe with Steve Evans' Stevenage

Stevenage manager Steve Evans might have called the Bantams "the one special club in League Two" but it is his side in the automatic promotion spot that is their target. City are ninth.

Evans' sides are unapologetically physical, whereas Bradford try to be more cultured. Hughes wants courage against a team beaten 3-0 at Valley Parade in September.

“We have to be brave and trust our quality," said the manager. "We have to make sure we cause problems in key areas.

“A few players who have been performing for us on a regular basis will miss out but I still think we have the capability of causing Stevenage problems.

“They concede against sides that go toe-to-toe with them (but) Leyton Orient tried that and conceded two goals in quick succession, and thus, were not allowed to play.

“We will stick with our approach of trying to control the game. We have done that away this season, and against Stevenage at home. We dealt with their physicality and controlled the game from start to finish.

“The problem with direct play, is that you do not know where the ball will end up, but we can set up against that.”

Rotherham United loanee Tolaji Bola is expected to be out for “a week to 10 days” with a side strain but fellow left-back Liam Ridehalgh is ready for a first start since September. Romoney Critchlow, on loan from Huddersfield Town, has a bleed on the eye but Richie Smallwood is fit again.