Neil Redfearn admits he has been searching for ways to "freshen up" his squad during the week and hopes to have the majority of players available for Saturday’s Elland Road clash with Watford.

Giuseppe Bellusci will serve the second game of his two-match ban for picking up 10 yellow cards, while Sam Byram could return after missing the midweek defeat at Brighton as a precautionary measure.

Steve Morison, meanwhile, will be monitored after the striker was forced off early in the second half at the Amex Stadium with a groin complaint.

"We look at everything and anything with regards to how we can freshen them up and get them back out there," said Redfearn.

"But we’ve been doing well so it’s a side that’s got some mental strength.

"Sometimes, I think you’ve just got to give them a step back off training and give them a breather and have the focus on the games, which is more important.

"We’ve got 22 in the squad at the moment. We’ve had injures and we had one or two niggles the other night.

"We brought players on off the bench and had to change it around. I’m hoping that we’re going to have players fit and available for Saturday to get us back up to where we need to be."

A knee problem prompted Redfearn into resting Byram at the Amex, but the head coach is confident that the 21-year-old will be an option to face Watford after returning to training.

"It was a real precaution with Sam, he’s a real important player to us, as is Steve in the recent run," said Redfearn.

"We missed him the other night but sometimes you’ve got to make these decisions. They’re young guys and we’ve got to respect that.

"We’ve got to rest them when we can rest, but Sam has been back in training.

"I think the most important thing was to take that decision on Sam and give him a breather. I’d rather miss him for one game than miss him for five games."

Redfearn is also hopeful of having Morison at his disposal, but says he will keep close tabs on the fitness of Edgar Cani, who replaced the injured striker, should he need to make his first start since arriving on loan from Catania.

"We’ll have to see," Redfearn replied when asked whether starting the Albanian could be an option. "Edgar has got to adjust to the standard of this football and get to the tempo.

"It’s an unforgiving division, it’s a thankless task as a lone striker if that’s how we do play.

"It’s a big ask and we’ll just have to see how things pan out in training.

"It’s just important that we get a side out that can compete and possibly go and get a result, which is what we all want.

"With that in mind, we’ll start putting things in place on Friday with regards to the team."