SHAKERS caretaker manager Graham Barrow does not want the saga surrounding Andy Preece to distract his players when Carlisle United visit on Boxing Day.

Preece is not allowed to play against the Shakers this season as a result of an agreement reached with Carlisle when the Cumbrians signed him last Friday.

The 36-year-old -- who had his contract as Bury player-manager terminated last week in a cost-cutting exercise -- has already made his mark at Brunton Park by scoring in Carlisle's 2-0 win over Torquay last Saturday.

And Barrow wants to make sure that his players are focused only on collecting three points against the Football League's bottom club.

"The less that's made of Andy's return with Carlisle the better as far as we are concerned," he explained.

"But you're not going to be able to avoid it.

"All I know is I'd rather be where we are in the league than Carlisle and it's up to us to keep focused on what we have to do."

Following Saturday's defeat at Leyton Orient, Barrow expects to make changes to the back line.

"I selected what I felt was an experienced and reliable team on Saturday, and maybe it wasn't up to the job," he said.

Barrow is expected to bring in youngster Tom Kennedy at left-back, allowing Colin Woodthorpe to move into the centre of defence alongside Lee Unsworth, who will switch from the right.

The Shakers could be without defender Danny Swailes, who was sent home from training on Monday with a virus.