Left-back Myles Kenlock is back in training ahead of Saturday’s trip to Sheffield United having missed the 1-0 Easter Monday defeat to Swansea with a minor hamstring problem.

“He’s been good, he's been back and he’s trained so he comes into contention for the team,”said assistant manager Stuart Taylor, who took lunchtime's press conference.

“On top of that, Callum Elder did very well at the weekend, so there’s competition for that position.

“But Myles has been great for us this season, he just fell short for us on Monday in terms of fitness because it was quite close to the Friday game, but he’s trained this week, and he’s looked good.”

Josh Emmanuel was left out of the team on Monday having been subbed at half-time Preston on Good Friday after a tough 45 minutes. However, Taylor says the 21-year-old will be back in contention for a place in the team at Bramall Lane.

“Josh is still a young kid and it’s part of his development where we’re looking at him, and looking at a lot of others as well, and seeing how they can handle the back to back games.

"It was a big ask and he’s done well since he’s been in so he’s back in contention as well.”

Taylor says winger Gwion Edwards has been suffering the effects of tiredness in recent games having had a groin problem.

“Gwion has been nursing an injury for the last month or so and he’s been playing games and not playing as much, so there’s an element of fatigue there,” he said.

“It wasn’t so much the injury, it was more fatigue because he’s been keeping himself for games as opposed to having been training throughout the week.

“He’s one that we’re looking to see if he’s going to be able for Saturday or not, but he’s one of the ones that’s been digging in deep and we'll just need to wait and see how he is tomorrow.”

Striker Ellis Harrison remains sidelined but could still be involved before the end of the season.

“He’s got a back problem, and he’s seeing a specialist at this moment in time, and we’re waiting for word back on him tomorrow as well,” Taylor said.

“There are quite a few of the lads, well there’s probably three lads in that situation, but we’re hopeful that they’ll be in contention. Will we see Ellis before the end of the season? It’s a strong possibility.”

He says there are several players with minor niggles ahead of the visit to South Yorkshire: ”Quite a few. We obviously had the back to back games and had a few challenges and a few knocks.

“But we should be fine come the game on Saturday, but there’s still one or two just nursing just now, and hopefully, they’ll be back tomorrow.”

Regarding Town’s longer-term absentees, Taylor says Tom Adeyemi, who recently played his first game since pre-season for the U23s having undergone achilles surgery earlier in the campaign, picked up a minor problem earlier in the week.

“Tom’s coming back, and he’s coming back really well, and he took a little knock a couple of days ago but hopefully it’ll be nothing too major,” the assistant boss added. “But Tom’s looking really good.”

Emyr Huws has been out since December 2017 with a knee problem which also required surgery. The former Cardiff and Manchester City was on the bench for the Rotherham game in January and appeared for the U23s in March but is still a little way off a return.

“We’re being careful with Emyr,” Taylor said. “There’s a plan in place for him. I think he had a little more difficulty with his recovery plan, and we’re just having to reassess one or two things with him.

“But we’re now in a good position with him and he’s on his rehab programme right now.”

Taylor says the thinking is still to give 19-year-old central defender Corrie Ndaba his senior debut during the last two matches.

“Plans are always there, whether they come to fruition or not is a different thing, but certainly they’re in place," he reflected.

“We’ve got a lot of belief and a lot of hope for Corrie and we’ve no problem for any of the younger players to play in any of the game in the Championship, none whatsoever.

“We’ve got great confidence in the lads but what we’ve got to make sure is we pick the right games for them, and if it’s not going to be the right one then we can’t put them out in that.

“So we have to wait for the next opportunity to come along, but we have no lack of confidence or fear or anything like that with the younger ones.

"They know how we play, they know the system that we use and they know the patterns that we want to go and play in and how we want to go and play, so they know their job and they’re good enough.”

Is Irish U21 call-up Ndaba champing at the bit? “He is like every other young kid. They see that there’s a pathway for the young players to come and play in the first team.

“Corrie’s been up training with us since practically from when we’ve come in, we’ve recognised him from the U23 games and the U23s coaches have been talking highly of him.

“So we brought him up to train in the first team, and he’s been in a few squads since the turn of the year, and he’s pushing for a place.

“Corrie just needs to keep working away like all the other young kids, but Idris [El Mizouni] has played a couple of times now, and he’s been fantastic, he’s got a great future in front of him, and he just needs to keep listening to the experienced lads and coaches and keep doing what he’s doing, and he’ll be fine.”

Speaking after Saturday’s game, manager Paul Lambert said that Dean Gerken would start against the Blades with Bartosz Bialkowski returning for the final match at home to Leeds.

“The two keepers have been excellent for us so the gaffer spoke to them and there’s something in place between now and the end of the season,” Taylor added.

Photo: TWTD

therein61 added 16:27 - Apr 25 Wonder what the household would be like if Ndaba is given his debut at the expense of his landlord!!??
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Vanisleblue2 added 20:17 - Apr 25 Adeymi was coming back very well he just got another niggle 🤯show him the door. We are being careful with Emyr ( he hasn't played for over a year!!!) The injuries are ridiculous at our club... Sears Ward Collins Lankester Pennington Harrison
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herfie added 21:39 - Apr 25 Sadly, good footballers they may be when fit, both Emyr and Tom A. don't seem able to cope with the rigours of the pro game. Some players are seldom injured, others are rarely fit. A decision needs to be made on the future of these two lads - tough though it may be. But the wider interests of the squad must be the priority, and two wages being paid for very limited benefit.

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bingboast added 22:34 - Apr 25 Tom A & E Hughes are getting stick for appearing injury prone, isnt that what happened with Mccoldrick & now hes had almost full season. Fickle fans come to mind.
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shakytown added 10:27 - Apr 26 I think a lot of the long term injuries came from Mucks awful style of playing the game.
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