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Ian Pearce looks set to win his fitness race for the Fulham game after training on Tuesday - and fears over Fredi Kanoute have been exaggerated, says Glenn Roeder.
Regarding Ian, who was replaced by Gary Breen at centre back early in the second half after sustaining a shoulder injury before the break at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, Glenn says: "We are very hopeful. Ian surprised us by being able to train on Tuesday morning and he was in very little discomfort.
"So, with 36 hours to go to the game we expect it to have improved enough for him to be able to play without any problems."
But Glenn will not be taking any gambles and insists that he will trust Ian, who had a scan on Monday, to tell him if there has been any reaction.
"We all like people to put themselves up to play, to want to play, and to be counted on, but it has got to be for the right reasons," says Glenn.
"If a player is not 100% fit and you have to carry someone it is going to put the team in trouble, and I have emphasised that to Ian.
"But he feels he is going to be fully fit and that he is going to play well, and if he is fit he will play."
Glenn dismisses any notion, meanwhile, of Fredi Kanoute needing surgery and laughs off suggestions that he could be out for around a month with a groin problem.
"That is speculation - it is nothing like that at all," stresses Glenn.
"He is going to miss the Fulham game - but we will review it every three or four days.
"Surgery has not even been considered or thought about. I wasn't aware that rumour was on the circuit - and if it is, it is completely wrong.
"As far as we are concerned we expect Fredi to be fit sooner rather than later."