Sheffield Wednesday will hand late fitness tests to Richard Wood, Marcus Tudgay and Etienne Esajas ahead of Friday night's clash at Watford.

Central defender Wood missed out against Coventry and Preston with an ankle problem while winger Esajas and leading goalscorer Tudgay have also missed the last two games due to a knee and neck injuries respectively.

Manager Brian Laws, who has no new injury or suspension problems, is hoping to have several more options available if the trio can all prove their fitness.

Midfielder Tommy Miller and forwards Francis Jeffers and Akpo Sodje all stepped off the substitutes' bench in the defeat to Preston and are pushing for places in Laws' starting line-up as the Owls look to bounce back from a fourth defeat in their last seven league matches.

Watford will check on midfielder Tom Cleverley.

The on-loan Manchester United youngster took a whack on the head at Middlesbrough on Saturday which forced him to miss Tuesday's 1-1 draw at Ipswich.

Striker Heidar Helguson is close to returning from the calf injury he suffered last month but the clash may come too soon.

Nathan Ellington could push for a rare start after his late leveller as a substitute at Portman Road.

Skipper Jay DeMerit is still recovering from his recent eye surgery so fellow centre-half Adrian Mariappa keeps the armband.

Rookie goalkeeper Jonathan Bond, 16, will be on the bench again if Richard Lee does not recover from his knee injury.