Neil Redfearn is optimistic of having Steve Morison back in contention for Wednesday night's clash with Ipswich Town after the striker returned to training this week.

Prior to missing Saturday’s 3-2 defeat against Watford, Morison had started United’s previous nine games but was forced off with a groin injury in the second half of last week’s defeat at Brighton.

Redfearn said: "Steve Morison trained on Tuesday so I’m hoping we can have him back in contention for the Ipswich game."

Rodolph Austin, though, is a definite absentee after being forced off after 73 minutes of the weekend's loss.

"Rudy’s got a slight thigh strain," Redfearn explained. "It’s a grade two so he’ll be out for a couple of weeks – two or three weeks.

"I’m hoping that he’ll be fit sooner rather than later because he’s a big loss for us."

Billy Sharp deputised in Morison’s lone striker role against Watford and got on the scoresheet, grabbing the first goal of the afternoon to give United the lead after just six minutes.

Asked if Sharp could continue in that role, Redfearn replied: "He can play it, he understands it.

"Billy did his talking on the pitch on Saturday. He led the line really well and looked like scoring.

"He took his goal well and read the situation really, really well.

"I thought his general play was really good. He held the ball well, put the back four under pressure and made himself a nuisance out of possession.

"It was a really good performance from Billy. He knows he’s got to do that, he’s capable of doing that.

"The good thing from Billy’s point of view is that he’s got himself a goal. Goals breed goals and hopefully he’ll go on a run now and nick a few more."

Elsewhere, Giuseppe Bellusci is available again after serving his two-match suspension, meaning Redfearn is posed with somewhat of a selection dilemma in central defence.

"There’s a decision to make but I think the decision is based around the opposition that we’re playing," he said.

"We’ve got to look at who we’re playing and how they play so that’ll come into my thinking with the side that I put out.

"But to be fair to the lads, up until the last couple of games, we’ve defending really, really well and it’s been a real feature of our run.

"We’ve kept things tight, winning games 1-0 or 2-1, and we’ve been solid at the back.

"We’ll go back to that at being difficult to beat, being resolute and knowing the areas we can go and hurt people. We’ll try and get a result."