STUART McCall reckons new duo Marc McNulty and Haris Vuckic can provide the missing link to build on City’s unbeaten start.

Both loan signings should join up with the squad for training tomorrow after missing Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Millwall.

McNulty was recovering from a slight hamstring strain while Vuckic was back home in Slovenia for a family issue.

City’s promising opening to the campaign goes on after a hard-fought point at the Den, where they were also without Josh Cullen and James Hanson again.

McCall’s men earned more plaudits for the style of play but a lack of cutting edge remains an issue – an area he hopes the new arrivals can rectify.

McCall said: “McNulty is different from the other three strikers.

“James obviously gives us strong aerial presence, Billy (Clarke) is like a number ten and Jordy (Hiwula) can go stretch the game and link it.

“McNulty can run the channels but he’s also a really good finisher. At 23, he’s really hungry.

“He’s come down from Scotland, had a really good first season at Sheffield United and went to Portsmouth and did well.

“He thinks this is a great chance for him and he’ll give us another dimension.”

Parent club Newcastle had already agreed that Vuckic could fly home for the weekend after originally telling him he would not be going out loan. So McCall was well aware that he would not be available at Millwall.

He added: “Everything’s fine with Haris. He’s just got a six-month-old daughter and the flights were already booked.

“Haris can play on the left, the right, number ten or even up front.

“He’s not a centre forward but he played up there for Newcastle under-23s the other week and scored two against Norwich in their opening game.

“With Paul Anderson going out, it left us with Fil (Morais) and Marshy (Mark Marshall) and I felt we could do with something different.

“Haris isn’t one who’s going to get to the dead-ball line and put crosses in, but what he can do is come off the line and be a goal threat. I think he scored eight goals for me at Rangers in 17 games.

“He is good on set-plays and has got real quality in his game and again he’s another added strength to the squad.”

City would have gone top had they beaten Millwall and led through Byron Webster’s own goal before Joe Martin levelled.

The visitors could still have won it in the final minute of added time but Nicky Law’s shot was finger-tipped on to the post by keeper Jordan Archer.

McCall said: “We came down with the belief we could win here and if Archer had cut his finger nails in the morning we’d have done it. He just got enough on the shot and it was a worldy save.

“But we’ve had three really tough away games at Peterborough, MK Dons and Millwall and come away with seven points.

“Next week we go away again to Gillingham but I imagine we’ll have a few more bodies back.

“It’s good that it carries on the unbeaten run. The desire among the players is fantastic.”