Town boss Kieran McKenna has revealed that forward Omari Hutchinson looks set to miss the next few games with the knee injury he suffered in the challenge which saw Manchester United’s Patrick Dorgu red-carded two minutes before half-time at Old Trafford.
Hutchinson played on after the studs-high tackle before being replaced while visibly limping in the 66th minute of the game.
Manager McKenna says the 21-year-old has been ruled out of Monday’s FA Cup fifth-round tie at Nottingham Forest and probably the matches to follow with the Blues at Crystal Palace on the next Saturday and then at home to the Tricky Trees a week later.
"Omari’s had some scans, it is an injury to the knee area,” McKenna confirmed. "Thankfully, it doesn’t seem to be very, very serious but it is still significant, so he certainly won’t be involved in the next game and possibly the next few games, so that’s very disappointing.”
Midfielder Kalvin Phillips missed out at Old Trafford with a calf injury suffered against Spurs but McKenna says the on-loan Manchester City man is moving in the right direction, but again won’t be involved against Forest.
"Kalvin’s progressing well, not exactly sure when he’s going to be back,” he added. "He’s not training with the group today or for the next few days, so that’s a day-by-day case.”
McKenna says there will be the expected changes and keeper Aro Muric is in his thoughts for a return but with the Kosovo international also having a fitness problem.
"It’s a possibility, he’s carrying a bit of an issue with his shoulder at the moment that he’s managing. That’s part of it that we will factor into it as well,” he said.
"It’s good that he’s making himself available and he’s ready for the team in the games. But he’s also carrying a little issue.
"I’ll honestly have to get some judgements on that in the next couple of days and see how he is from a medical point of view, but it’s certainly a possibility that he’ll play but the little issue he has we’ll probably factor that in as well.”
Regarding on-loan Brighton forward Julio Enciso, who has been out since the Aston Villa game with a knee injury and would be cup-tied for Monday’s trip to the City Ground in any case, McKenna added: ”He's not training on the pitch yet but he's progressing well. He has stayed with us so it's good to have him around the building and the group.
"It helps with his English as well because there aren't many Spanish speakers here. If he's going to be understood it's going to be in English. He is working hard in the gym now and hopefully will be out on the grass soon.”
Regarding keeper Christian Walton, who hurt his groin at Liverpool, McKenna said: "I can't put an exact timescale on it but he's back doing some work on the grass with the goalie coaches.
"He's not involved with the team yet so we will see how he progresses. He is moving in the right direction.”
Reflecting on the injury issues which have hampered the availability of players throughout the season with right wingers Chiedozie Ogbene and Wes Burns ruled out for the season with achilles and ACL tears which required surgery, McKenna said: "It’s been a problem, there’s no doubt about it.
"Both the longer term ones, like losing Wes and Chieo to probably two of the most significant injuries you can get as a football player, season-ending ones with the unique profile that they have, that’s been a big, big challenge.
"And some unlucky ones in there, then some niggly ones and contact injuries and it’s been pretty disruptive from that point of view, and that’s been a challenge in the list of many, many challenges this year.
"But we have to make the best of it, however, we’ve been hoping for a little bit more luck on that front.
"Certainly didn’t get that with Omari the other night. Even the minutes he did stay on the pitch, I think he was playing through a lot more pain than he let on because he’s such a brave lad.
"And to lose him from the later stages of the game against a low block when he’s probably our most important player in that phase, and then to lose him for some more games, is a blow.
"We’ve had them all season but we can only control the reaction and we’ve got to find a good reaction to it.”