Boss Roy Keane says midfielder Luciano Civelli will have to remain patient as he continues his recovery from the knee ligament injury he suffered back in March. Civelli has suffered a setback recently and is now not expected to return to action until the end of January at the very best.
Keane told the club site: "Luca's had a small setback and we have to be patient with him and so does he because he's had a bad injury.
"I've been there myself and the recovery is rarely straightforward. It's also a mental challenge as much as a physical one, more so in fact.
"Luca's rehab was always going to be the big one for us. Obviously, it's hard for him being away from his family as well. You don't just have to be 16 to suffer from homesickness and we will give him time off with his family over Christmas.
"It's about getting a balance between doing his recovery work and getting some time off mentally."
David Norris, who has also been out long-term with knee ligament damage, is expected to return to the first team early in the new year.