Pars boss James McPake on January signings, Matty Todd and injuries

Press Sport can reveal that influential midfielder Todd does not need an operation on a hamstring problem that he picked up at Arbroath before Christmas, which has caused him to miss the last three matches.

The 22-year-old has played just nine games in total this season, having missed Dunfermline's first 10 in the Championship after sustaining an ankle injury that required an operation.

He had an online meeting with a London-based specialist last Thursday and, providing an update, McPake said: "There's no surgery required, which is a bonus. He'll still be a little while but no surgery required, so that's good news for Matthew.

"The kid deserves that to be fair, so it's a wee bit of good news, even on the back of another injury, so we're delighted for him that it doesn't require surgery."

Matty Todd won't require surgery on his latest injury. (Image: Craig Brown.)

Lewis McCann, who was also forced off during that Arbroath match, has a chance of being available for the visit of Airdrieonians this weekend, and McPake has said those who were carrying injuries and played through last Friday's loss at Queen's Park would be okay to feature.

However, defenders Sam Fisher and Rhys Breen have been ruled out, whilst the club are awaiting scan results for injuries picked up during that match by Aaron Comrie and Alex Jakubiak, as well as Kyle Benedictus.

The club captain returned as a substitute at Ayr United on December 30, having been absent since late October, but has suffered a reoccurrence of a thigh problem, which was due to be assessed on Tuesday.

The scale of the injury crisis at KDM Group East End Park, particularly in defence, is something that everybody at the club are working to address, with work ongoing to try and secure new signings.

"We're in touch with the board and have meetings every day," McPake continued.

"We're working away on trying to get players and trying to get help in. Obviously, with the injuries, particularly now to all the centre backs, in that area is where we're urgently looking, and we'll continue to do that.

"It's difficult. We're constantly trying to get people in, and we had targeted players to come in in this window anyway, but, obviously, with injuries happening, and re-happening, it changes it a little bit position-wise.

"We'll see what happens for Saturday, but we're actively trying to add to the squad."

Whilst supporters are, understandably, keen to see new arrivals as soon as possible, the Pars boss admitted that it can be difficult to quickly make additions when dealing with other clubs.

"It always is, in any transfer window, and even when you've not got an injury crisis, it's not just a case of 'we want this player, let's go and get him'," he noted.

"There's a lot of work goes into that and we are trying to do that. We're hopeful of doing that and hopefully that's in time for Saturday. We'll wait and see.

"It's been difficult. I think we all understand just how difficult and how much of a toll it takes on the players that are there as well. The ones that are fit, and have been fit, we're having to push them week in, week out, and that's tough on them, but that's the nature of football.

"As I say, we've got a really good squad in there when everybody's fit but, at the minute, we're going through a really tough period, so we just need to do all we can to get those ones back, and get any help in that we can get."

"We'll work hard all week. We'll pick a team that's fit to play on Saturday and everybody's in it together, from board level, right all the way down to ourselves and the players.

"We understand the situation we're in. It is a bit of a struggle at this time, but that's football. We need to try all we can to get some players on the pitch and get some help in, and everybody's doing that.

"The big thing is is just to look at the game ahead of us and try and get to that 40-point mark as soon as we can."

The visit of the Diamonds provides Dunfermline with the chance to earn a first win in six matches, and a third from three meetings with their opponents this season.

After the weekend, the Pars have dropped to sixth in the Championship, four points behind their fourth-placed rivals, having played a game fewer, and are just six points clear of the bottom two.

McPake doesn't believe his side's good recent record against Airdrie - they're unbeaten in their last six games with them, winning three - will have any impact on their latest match-up, adding: "I think when you look at that, it's just about this game now.

"What you look at over those games is just how eventful they are and you can expect probably that again - something always seems to happen when we play each other.

"It's one I'm looking forward to and I'm sure it's one Rhys and his staff are looking forward to as well.

"Every game's been difficult that we've played them in in the last couple of seasons, so I'm not expecting anything different this weekend. They're a good side.

"They had a very good win against Raith Rovers on Saturday so they'll be coming up to East End Park full of confidence and desperate to get another three points I'm sure.

"We need points, we need to get back to winning ways, we need to get some of our players fit, and we are all working to see where we can add and get reinforcements in to help this squad."