LEE Hughes is expected to be back to face Portsmouth.
Notts County boss Keith Curle has revealed the striker, 36, has been signed off sick by his doctor until January 2, so he will miss their New Year's Day clash with MK Dons at Meadow Lane.
But he should have recovered in time to make the trip to Fratton Park on January 12.
Curle is unsure if Hughes has been hit by the winter norovirus bug, but said: "I've spoken to Lee to make sure he is OK and the virus he's got is still affecting him and his family and we can't have him around us when he's still contagious. I can't put a name to the virus he's got, but he sounded horrific when I spoke to him.
"We're doing all we can to make sure he gets all the medical support he needs to get him back as fit and as quick as possible.
"If he feels better before January 2 he will be straight back to work, likewise if it takes a little bit longer then it takes longer.
"You can't rush people back if they're ill. Lee's health is paramount in all of this."
Magpies face Shrewsbury Town away today. They are eighth in League One and Curle is demanding a response from his players after home defeats to Brentford in the league and Rotherham in the FA Cup in their last two games.
He called them in for a meeting on their day off, after they were dumped out of the cup 3-0.
"What we have done is refocused," he said. "We've reaffirmed our strengths and identified some of the weaknesses and the players have got a clearer vision now of what we're doing.
"That result has had a massive effect on me and I don't want to see it again. This is the first time since I've been here that we've had a wobble, but we need to react."
