"He is set to play. We'll know then how many more reserve games he needs," O'Leary said of the 29-year-old defender. The Welsh international has been slow to recover from knee surgery, but with Olof Mellberg and Liam Ridgewell the only two centre-backs available to O'Leary in recent games, the manager is keen to see Delaney return to the fold. "If we can get him back fit, he will be a temporary centre-half," he warned, ominously.
"Mark is a great pro but he has just had so many injuries over the years," he added. "This season he has probably been training with me three weeks since pre-season started and played a couple of games. In the two games he has played, he's done really well for us. I do want to have the option of bringing Mark in at centre-half." Delaney has made just three appearances this season.