So, the next hurdle in the one-man rescue mission currently being undertaken by Jimmy Bullard will, hopefully, be leapt tomorrow night.
Hull City are at home to Everton and it will show us if Bullard is fit enough to play a full 90 minutes in midweek after a strenuous weekend match.
The gut instinct here is that he is, simply because he hasn't looked completely shattered after either the Stoke City victory, or the draw three days ago against West Ham United. The fortnight's break after Stoke will also have helped him too and maybe City can force two big displays from him while making sure there is enough cotton wool for him in between.
It's not just the Everton game we have to consider, of course; the Tigers go to Manchester City on Saturday and with the (very) recent history of fixtures and events at Eastlands, every important player needs to be available to Phil Brown.
The ideal scenario is that City, buoyed by recent upturns in form and fortune, get into a winning position against an off-message, injury-hit Everton and Bullard can be sacrificed with 20 minutes to go. However, in a tighter match, there needs to be enough in Bullard's tank to get him through the full match.
Bullard mustn't overdo it, but only Bullard himself can decide just how much work he is able to put in. Judging by the gleeful, high-speed way he dashed to the bench in celebration of Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink's 91st minute winning goal against Stoke, he is in a physical position to run himself into the ground for the cause, and if he can last a frenetic 90 minutes against Stoke after barely no football for ten months, then he can probably manage a second 90 against Everton merely four days after doing the full shift against West Ham.
His natural enthusiasm and burning desire to make up for lost time will also aid his cause to keep playing. And that is very handy - and very timely.
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