Wingers Matt Jarvis and Michael Kightly will be lost to the Wolverhampton Wanderers cause for several weeks.
Both players picked up hamstring problems in Tuesday night’s 3-0 hammering by Reading and while Wolves missed the chance to equal a club record of eight consecutive wins, of more concern is the loss of their two most potent attacking weapons.
While Kightly strained his hamstring and will be out for three to four weeks, Jarvis is in a worse position having suffered a tear which, according to manager Mick McCarthy, will take at least two months to repair.
Thankfully the outlook for Stephen Ward is not so gloomy and although the makeshift full back left the pitch with bruised ribs he could still be fit in time for the trip to Swansea City this weekend.
“The fact that he was adamant that he didn’t want to come off is a testament to his character and he only did so towards the end when he was having trouble getting his breath,” McCarthy said.
He will, however, be considerably more concerned about the loss of the two players for whom there are no like-for-like replacements at the club.
The enforced absence of Kightly last season, when he hurt his ankle against West Bromwich Albion and was out for nearly two months, was seriously debilitating to Wolves. Indeed the 22-year-old made just four league starts after that November afternoon as his team fell away from the play-off places.
They are arguably better equipped to deal with it this term, though. The defeat by Reading was their first of the season and even though it came at home they are still top of the Championship - a fact not lost on McCarthy.
“I’ve always said we’d lose a game at some stage and I said it wouldn’t be for a lack of preparation or desire or workrate or belief and that’s what’s happened,” he said.
“But I’m really proud of the players, proud of the start we’ve had and proud of the way we worked against Reading. Would have I taken 22 points from nine games before the season started? Too right I would.
“Of course it’s disappointing to lose and doubly disappointing it’s against one of our close rivals but we’ve been beaten by a very good side. That bitter taste of defeat is back for the first time in open play since our pre-season friendly at Wrexham - I’d actually lost the flavour of it.”
Meanwhile, the speculation that constantly follows Wayne Hennessey has not stopped despite the goalkeeper’s embarrassing own goal against Reading.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is rumoured to be considering an offer while Everton have also had the player watched twice in the last month.
