COLCHESTER United head coach John McGreal has hinted he could switch to a different formation when they host Macclesfield Town this weekend.

The U’s will be without reliable right-back Ryan Jackson for the visit of the Silkmen, due to suspension.

Tom Lapslie filled in at full-back following Jackson’s red card at Morecambe last weekend and could start there tomorrow.

But Colchester are aiming to bring in a new full-back prior to the Macclesfield game and if they are successful in their quest, the new signing could go straight into their starting line-up.

However, boss McGreal is also mulling over the possibility of switching to a different system, as Colchester aim to close in on League Two’s top three.

McGreal said: “Ryan Jackson is suspended but it’s only one game and we can adopt a different shape as well, so that’s a different permutation that we might have to think about.

“We’ll keep you guessing until 3pm, unless we get one in!

“There are one or two little things that we can try and do, on Saturday.

“Whether we change the system or not, we feel as though we’ve got cover in there.”

Colchester are aiming to extend their impressive unbeaten league run to 13 matches when they take on Macclesfield tomorrow.

They are also aiming to halt a frustrating run of four successive draws, against a side who have just appointed former Liverpool and Ipswich Town attacker Mark Kennedy as their new manager.

Macclesfield currently lie third from bottom in League Two but are unbeaten in their last three league matches.

“There’s no more difficult game than Macclesfield,” added McGreal, who met up with his former Ipswich Town boss George Burley this week.

“They’ve had a suspended points deduction.

“The players and the club have been through the mill this year to get themselves to where they were, before the points deduction.

“They’re a tough team to beat and you only have to look at their games against the likes of Port Vale, where they drew 2-2.

“When we went to Macclesfield earlier in the season, it was a tough game for us so we know that it’s going to be a tough game.

“Mark Kennedy has taken over there and I know him particularly well.

“He’s been there before and he knows what the club is about.

“He’s also been number two to Sol Campbell there, so we know that it’s going to be a really tough game.

“They’ve got a new manager to impress and it looks like there’s a bit more stability there now, too so it’s about what we do.”