CHARLTON striker Francis Jeffers could miss out on an emotional return to Highbury this weekend.

Jeffers was forced off during the first half of the Blackburn game earlier in the week with a neck injury, and seems destined to be denied a chance to star at the home of his former club Arsenal.

But manager Alan Curbishley still has some hope that the 23-year-old could play some part.

He said: "It's a spasm round the neck area and it will either release in time or it won't. He could walk in tomorrow and be fit, I don't know."

Curbishley may bring back captain Matt Holland for the game. The midfielder has been missing since the opening minutes of the season when he picked up an ankle knock against Bolton.

But after completing 90 minutes in the reserves on Tuesday, and his call-up for Republic of Ireland duty, Curbishley has not ruled out a return, although he would be reluctant to drop Talal El Karkouri.

"I'll have to have a think about whether to put Matt straight back in," he said. "I'd just like to get to the stage where I've got them all fit.

"I put Talal El Karkouri in the centre of midfield three games ago because we were all over the shop away from home. We stopped the rot at Birmingham and got a result at Grimsby and followed that up against Blackburn."