A knee injury kept Deeney out of the team for three months at the start of this season and he has been managing it ever since to ensure he’s available when required.

The 32-year-old demonstrated just what he can offer the side by showing incredible coolness under pressure to smash home not one but two penalties last weekend.

“Troy’s got an ongoing problem like a lot of players have, so I suppose the choice is whether you want to play or not, but he’s very keen to play and we want as many players available to play as possible,” said Pearson.

“I think when you get to this stage of the season, especially with the types of pressures we’re under, when players show a keenness to be a part of it, I think that’s really good.

“We’ve all got different pain and discomfort thresholds. I think the point is that he’s aware of his knee, his situation, and he wants to play. For me, that’s a very positive sign and we need players with a positive mindset for sure.”