SIMON GRAYSON will wait until tomorrow to formulate Huddersfield Town’s own strikeforce for the return of Jordan Rhodes with Blackburn Rovers.

The John Smith’s Stadium boss will have to wait for final fitness checks on strikers Jermaine Beckford (hamstring) and James Vaughan (thigh) before knowing whether they can line up against Henning Berg’s Pennine raiders.

Both did some work with club physio James Haycock today but Grayson says they will have to monitor how they’ve come through before deciding whether to throw them into the clash with sixth-placed Rovers.

“We are assessing them day by day and it’s obviously difficult when one has got a hamstring strain and one a thigh injury,” said Grayson. “I will have to see how they are and make a late decision, but I am certainly not going to push them into playing when we have got so many games coming up.

“We don’t want to lose either of them for a longer period, so we will have to assess them and go from there. If they are fit, then it gives us better options. If not, then we go with the squad we already have.” Pressed on their availability, Grayson answered: “I really don’t know whether they will be available to play.

“They’ve both gone with the physio staff and done some work, so they have both got a chance. But they’ve also both got a chance of not being available as well, so we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Town midfielder Oliver Norwood has been included in the Northern Ireland squad for their World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan next week.

The 21-year-old, who played the full 90 minutes in their lastqualifier in Portugal, which they drew 1-1, could well be handed
another star by manager Michael O’Neill at Windsor Park in Belfast on Wednesday, November 14 (7.45).

If he is, it will be a 10th cap for his country and Norwood does not miss any Town games while on international duty.