SOUTHEND United manager Chris Powell has hinted Dru Yearwood will not be fit to start against Scunthorpe United on Tuesday night.

Yearwood returned from a hip injury to face AFC Wimbledon on Saturday but was taken off after just an hour.

And Powell must now decide whether or not to select the midfielder against the Iron at Roots Hall.

"Dru’s a young player who burst onto the scene last year and was unbelievable but since then it’s been stop start for him with his hamstring and now his hip," said Powell.

"He wasn’t ready for Crawley and was he ready for Wimbledon?

"He’s still training but he’s not 100 per cent.

"With 18 fit players we have to be careful but I don’t want us all relying on a young 18-year-old who is still learning the game.

"He needs guidance and support which he gets from us but we have to make sure he’s right physically.

"We know there’s been a lot of talk about him too but we have to let him get back to what he does best.

"I know the eyes of the football world are on him but we have to be careful we just don’t rely on him.

"We have to make sure he’s at a level where he’s OK to play in League One games."