Jon Whitney: Walsall relishing mouth-watering derby

But while the Saddlers manager has been impressed with Paul Hurst’s side – he is says his team is confident of inflicting their first defeat of the season tomorrow.

Salop arrive at the Banks’s Stadium having won nine and drawn two of their opening 11 games in League One.

But with Walsall also unbeaten at home this season, Whitney is expecting a mouth-watering derby.

“There is real excitement because we are playing the team who are deservedly top of the league,” the boss said.

“It is an opportunity for us to be the first to beat them and that is a real incentive for us.

“They have won nine and drawn two. That can’t be a fluke.

"You don’t go 11 games unbeaten unless you have real substance and Paul has got that.

“He deserves a lot of credit because he is a really top bloke

“Paul is resilient and hard working and he has got that now with his players. We are expecting a tough, tough game.

“But we’re unbeaten at home. And in the past we have been a team that has upset and stopped runs.

"It’s a mouth-watering tie, both for the neutral and the two sets of fans.”

With Tyler Roberts, Shaun Donnellan and Liam Kinsella all away on international duty, Walsall had the option to call off tomorrow’s game.

But they opted to go ahead with Whitney believing a rapturous home crowd can help them to victory.

“This is what we are in football for – it’s great to have a derby,” the boss continued.

“Hopefully we will have a bumper crowd and generate some real noise.

“We have got a few players away on international duty.

“We want the game on because it’s an important one. It’s a bumper crowd on a Saturday, it’s never the same on a Tuesday night.

“Now it’s up to whoever plays to take their chance,”

One player Walsall will have available is goalkeeper Mark Gillespie who suffered a slight concussion in last week’s defeat to Wigan.

“He has come through his cognitive tests and is back training,” Whitney added

“We have got no issues with Mark.”