Walsall manager Chris Hutchings has insisted the club can survive without reinforcements after the loan window closed.

Yesterday’s deadline passed without drama, as the Saddlers kept the status quo ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup second round trip to Brentford.

Now Hutchings has explained his decision not to dip into the market.

He said: “It’s only for a month anyway, it’s not crucial. Come January if we are where we are we’ll assess it and see what we need to do.

“The plus things is Richard Taundry and Jamie Vincent are coming back. If we had three or four injuries we might have had to go down that line, but now we’re pretty much OK.”

Defender Clayton McDonald will return to Manchester City after his loan deal expires after the trip to Millwall on December 12.

It will leave the Saddlers short at the back but Hutchings insists they will muddle through.

He said: “It’s a couple of games which we’ll have to work around but hopefully we don’t get injuries or suspensions. It’s something we have to deal with as it comes along.”