Walsall manager Jon Whitney has spoken to the local press and confirmed that midfielders Maziar Kouhyar and Reece Flanagan are back in training after long-term knee problems, but will not be ready to feature on Boxing Day as the Saddlers make the short trip to Port Vale.
19-year-old Kouhyar, who joined the club after being released by Coventry City in 2013, and was recently rewarded for his progress with a new deal running to the summer of 2019, has been sidelined since picking up a knee injury while on international duty with Afghanistan in October, while 22-year-old Flanagan, who also peened a new contract with the club earlier this month, has been out since April with serious ligament damage.
Meanwhile, Isaiah Osbourne is hoping to keep his place in the starting line-up as he continues to put his season-long injury nightmare behind him.
