Leyton Orient are to make a late decision over the fitness of experienced winger Jobi McAnuff ahead of tonight’s game against Chester.

McAnuff, who signed a new one-year-contract at Brisbane Road yesterday, has missed the O’s last two games due to a back problem which has caused him some discomfort.

However, speaking to the Guardian Series yesterday, Orient assistant coach Ross Embleton said the O’s would make a late decision over the 36-year-old’s fitness ahead of tonight’s game in the National League.

He said: “There’s no real change to those longer term injuries. Jamie Sendles-White, Charlie Lee and Myles Judd are all still coming back from their injuries.

“Jobi (McAnuff) is one which has kept him out for the last few games. It’s been a niggly one which he has been struggling to get over but we will look at how he goes over the rest of today (Monday) before we make a final decision. The positive thing is that we’ve got good competition for places in most positions, certainly in the wide areas where Jobi would fill in. We’ve got good players to come in and take his place.”

McAnuff has played an important role for Orient this season, notching three goals in 28 appearances, but Embleton insisted the club wouldn’t rush him back in order to prevent further damage.

Embleton said: “It’s been an issue he has had with his shoulder and top of his back or the bottom of his neck. It was one of those niggly ones that was gnawing away at him and I think everybody, including Jobi, thought he would bounce back from it pretty quickly. But it’s something that hasn’t quite cleared up as soon as he would have thought and he’s been suffering from a bit of discomfort, even up until and over the weekend.

“It’s certainly got better and it’s something that is steadily improving. We have got good cover in that position now and with regards to the rest of the season, we want a fit and strong Jobi McAnuff back and raring to go, rather than one we have to patch up and put back into the team.

The O’s return to National League action tonight with a trip to Chester, fresh from a morale boosting win over high-flying AFC Fylde at the weekend.

Macauley Bonne scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot in the first half on Saturday, meaning Orient are unbeaten in four matches in all competitions at the moment.

Chester, meanwhile, currently sit in the relegation zone, although they did pick up their first win in seven games at the weekend, after beating Eastleigh 3-1.

That result leaves Chester in 22nd place, five points from safety, and Embleton believes the O’s will have to put in another professional display if they want to return to Brisbane Road with three points.

He said: “We know they are under pressure and I think we have been in that position this season on a number of occasions, albeit not in the position they have been, but where we’ve been looking down and having concerns about what is going on underneath us. So we know the pressure they are going through. But at the same time, we know they are fighting for their lives and we’ve got to respect that.

“So, we’re in a very good place at the moment with regards to the way we are setting up in our away performances, and we’ve got to be professional again to make our mark on the game, physically and out of possession and defensively. We know that given the way we attacked the game at the weekend, that we’ve got good players in certain areas of the pitch where we feel we can really hurt the opposition and we’ve got to try and make the most of that and make the most of the fact they are in that position and under pressure.”