Dundee United playmaker Scott Fraser could complete what would be a remarkable recovery by facing Inverness Caley Thistle.
Tangerines boss Csaba Laszlo raised that tantalising prospect after confirming that the talented 22-year-old midfielder has been back in full training with the first-team squad.
Fraser has not kicked a ball since hobbling off injured against St Mirren in Paisley on December 29.
He then had surgery to mend his fractured foot and was expected to miss the rest of the season.
However, he has been back among the main group at St Andrews this week and is being considered by Laszlo for tomorrow’s clash with the Highlanders at Tannadice, albeit a starting place would surely be too much to hope for.
Lazlo confirmed: “Scott has trained with the team fully.
“He had been training with the development team but now he has been with the first team for two days.
“Normally, he can be in the squad against Inverness.
“Maybe I will put him on the bench, maybe not.
“It depends on how he feels and I will see.
“The injury is over.
“They took the screw out and there is no pain so he is happy about it.
“People had been talking about him maybe being out for a very long time and maybe even finished.
“Now I have told him to just go out there play and show people that you are back!”
Laszlo, who confirmed he is still awaiting international clearance for new defender Bilel Mohsni, will be altering his training schedule to deal with a fixture schedule that will see United play Saturday-Tuesday until the final week of the season.
The Hungarian said: “This is not easy because if you think that every third day there is a game you need definitely to plan properly.
“This is sometimes more recovery required than the training we have done until now.
“But it is OK and we can deal with this – it is not a problem.
“Also, if you train too hard maybe somebody can get injured.
“The most important thing is you are fit for the games and can deliver like they did at Queen of the South.
“I have never had a schedule like this but we will deal with it.
“There is the psychological side, too, because if you win you recover more quickly.
“Everything must be planned because we can overuse the players.
“Mental preparation can be as important as physical preparation.
“In football, a victory can be the best psychologist.”
Laszlo used defender Paul Quinn as a sitting midfielder in front of centre-backs Tam Scobbie and Mark Durnan in the morale-boosting 3-1 win over Queen of the South at Palmerston last Tuesday night.
It worked a treat and Laszlo is happy to have that as an option for the remaining 12 games.
The United manager said: “Paul did a good job in the game on Tuesday.
“I was not very happy before but we talked and after that he showed me I can use him in the team.
“It was in a different position but he showed that, really, he is a good football player.
“It is the same with Scott McDonald.
“He saw that he lost his place in the first 11 but his reaction was fantastic.
“He came in and I had not seen before how speedy he is. This reaction is what I want.
“I think this was a positive reaction from both of these senior players and I liked that.
“He is very useful for the team with this attitude.”
Grant Gillespie will be fit to start against ICT after being listed as a sub against the Doonhamers but Emil Lyng will be given more time to recover.
