NIGEL Clough will wait as long as possible to see if Jamie Ward can play against Rotherham on Saturday but won't risk the striker unnecessarily.
The Northern Ireland international is recovering from a broken wrist and is aiming to get back on the pitch wearing a protective cast but Clough does not want to rush him back prematurely.
The Brewers boss said: "Jamie is doing a little bit in training but we are not sure if he will be right or not for Saturday. He has a protective cast on but he’s still only a couple of weeks since he fractured it sit so we will see how he feels.Â
"It’s one of those that if he gets another whack on it then it could set him back even more and with having all these games in December we will need him."
The Brewers travel to Brentford on December 10 before back-to-back home games on December 13 and 17 against Huddersfield and Newcastle.
The good news is that apart from Ward and skipper John Mousinho, who played swearing a mask at Preston after breaking his nose in training, Â the squad is ready for the run of games.
Clough said: "Everyone else is fit and came through Saturday so we are picking from a nearly full squad for Rotherham."