Woodgate and Bowyer make court dash

Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate will make a motorway dash from courtroom to dressing room tonight, as Leeds United manager David O'Leary weighs up whether either should play against Coventry.

The club will lay on a fast car to make the 60-mile rush-hour trip to Elland Road from Hull, where midfielder Bowyer, 24, and centre-half Woodgate, 21, deny serious assault charges against a 19-year-old student a year ago.

O'Leary has included both players in an 18-man squad for the Premiership match, but is prevented from elaborating on his plans and has been warned to avoid discussing either Bowyer or Woodgate for the duration of a trial that could last up to six weeks.

He will leave it late to name the side, knowing that skipper Lucas Radebe, back from World Cup duty with South Africa, can partner Rio Ferdinand at the back and long-term casualty David Batty is ready to step into the midfield vacancy alongside Olivier Dacourt.

One leading clinical sports psychologist does not believe a club can expect maximum performances from players while they are on trial.

Carole Seheult, a Health Service consultant clinical psychologist, who has extensive experience of working with sportsmen and women said: 'I would not have thought players' performances could possibly go unaffected in such circumstances.