Steve Bruce has offered a new injury update ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Rochdale, and it’s good and bad news on the fitness front.
On the plus side, the boss confirms Matt Ritchie is back training again and in contention to make the bench tomorrow, however there’s EIGHT first-team players set to miss out at Rochdale.
Bruce confirms Schar, Willems, Manquillo and Shelvey – who all suffered injuries on Wednesday – will all miss out this weekend, while Yedlin, Dummett, Clark and Lascelles are out of Rochdale but could return at Wolves next weekend.
There’s been no real update on Shelvey, but scans have suggested Javier Manquillo’s hamstring injury is significant, meaning he could be the biggest casualty from the New Years Day defeat to Leicester.
Willems (groin) and Schar’s (hamstring) injuries are believed to be more minor, with both tipped to return at the end of the month in ‘2-3 weeks’ time.
Here’s what Bruce has had to say today:
“None of the New Year’s Day four will play (Schar, Willems, Manquillo, Shelvey).
“DeAndre Yedlin has a terrible hand injury. Dummett, Clark, Lascelles – maybe for Wolves, but not the weekend.’
“Ritchie is training and may take a place on the bench.”
“We are still going to be strong, do our best and try to progress into the next round.”
Bruce then had this to say on Ritchie’s return to training, praising the wing-back who’s been a ‘big miss’:
“He trained yesterday and he’s been a big miss.
“He’s lively and it’s good to see him back. It’s like having a new player.
“He’s due a run of games and it’s good to see him back.”
Having Ritchie back and three first-team centre backs at Wolves would be a timely boost, but Manquillo could be a surprisingly big loss on current form.
Hopefully our fringe players and youngsters take their chance tomorrow – they’ll need to!
