Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen says defender Di’Shon Bernard is making encouraging progress in his recovery from a long-term knee injury, with March now the hoped-for return point. Bernard’s absence has reduced the club’s defensive options, so his eventual comeback would provide a timely boost to an injury-hit squad.

Bernard has been out since suffering the injury in February and has undergone further surgery after an earlier December return target proved unrealistic. Pedersen said the operation had improved the player’s feeling in his knee and that his rehabilitation was progressing, but stressed that it was still too early to give a firm date; a March return would mean more than a year out.