Town are continuing to assess keeper Christian Walton's foot injury ahead of Sunday's opening Championship game of the season at Sunderland.
Walton missed both Friday’s friendlies in Austria due to a plantar fascia problem, which manager Kieran McKenna said was due to be assessed this week following those matches: "Christian has a little problem with his plantar fascia, so we’ll have to see how he is next week.”
Earlier this afternoon, it was reported that Walton was facing six matches out with the injury, however, we understand as it stands Town have not made a definitive assessment on the keeper’s likely absence, although it appears increasingly probable that the former Brighton man will miss the trip to the Stadium of Light.
If he doesn’t make it, Walton will miss only his second league game since Kieran McKenna took charge, the other the Blues boss’s first match against Wycombe Wanderers at Portman Road in December 2021. As was the case in that match, Vaclav Hladky would replace him.
Walton was one of Town’s top performers last season and recently attracted interest from Premier League new boys Luton Town. We understand the Hatters made an enquiry but were told Walton wasn’t for sale.
The Blues will be without Harry Clarke for the visit to Wearside with the defender suspended and also suffering with an achilles problem.
Massimo Luongo (groin) and Nathan Broadhead (quad) also missed last week's games in Austria having picked up what were expected to be minor niggles.