Physio John Fearn explains:
"We will see how Christian feels after some training involving the ball; we will be guided by how much pain he is in.
"It is the same sort of thing with Ian Pearce, but he is hopeful for the weekend."
With Stuart Pearce starting a three match ban, and Rigobert Song due to go on international duty after the Derby match which would see him missing two games, central defenders are at something of a premium.
Hayden Foxe is still, of course, involved in Australia's world cup stroll against some lowly islands of the Oceania group so he misses the weekend as well.
Gary Charles and Paul Kitson, who both missed the reserves' defeat by Leicester midweek, are both on the injured list, and John explains:
"Gary had an ankle injury which tends to flare up every so often.
"Paul has a slight hamstring tear and will be out for a week or two."
Titi Camara, who had hoped to be back in training this week, after injections for a knee injury, has had a setback and John says:
"It hasn't responded as we would have liked; we are liaising with doctors here and in France, and we are reviewing his case."
Youngsters Richard Garcia and Izzie Iriekpen are progressing well, and John says:
"They are working hard."
And, of the long term problems faced by Trevor Sinclair and Steve Lomas, he says:
"It has been a grey area how to proceed with him, but we have exhausted the conservative means, and he will have surgery on thursday on his knee.
"Trevor has started hydrotherapy work in Manchester."
The other injury is to Craig Forrest, who "started light handling work this week.
"But he'll have to be careful of those Les Sealey shots!"