INJURY BLOW AS LEWIS OUT
Livi loanee facing three months on sidelines with a broken foot
Livingston loanee Adam Lewis has been ruled out for around three months with a broken foot.
The 21-year-old, who is on loan from English giants Liverpool, broke a metatarsal in training on Monday and is set to miss around 10-12 weeks.
Lewis was substituted just before half-time in the League Cup clash against Rangers last week having rolled over on his ankle during the warm-up and was taken off early again in Saturday’s loss at Hearts, making way for Jackson Longridge at the break.
Livingston boss David Martindale said: “I really feel for Adam because
I felt he was starting to get into some form and you could see what he was going to bring to the team.
“Our gut doesn’t lie to us and I should have trusted it. He didn’t look right at Ibrox and he rolled his ankle but he said he was okay and then on Saturday he went in for a couple of 50-50s and you could see he wasn’t quite right.
“For the first goal when he went to press Barrie McKay, he overcompensated and he couldn’t re-adjust so we made the decision to take him off.
“He trained on Monday, went to take a shot completely unopposed and broke his foot.
“It’s the fifth metatarsal. Liverpool are probably looking at surgery and then pinning it so you’re looking at around 10 weeks, maybe a couple more. It’s a big loss for us because he was beginning to show what he could do but we just need to get on with it.”
The Lions haven’t had their injuries to seek this term and the gaffer is hopeful the upcoming international break will allow a number of his players to edge closer to full fitness.
He added: “It’s one step forward and two back with injuries just now. We need to get guys back in as quickly as possible.
“Jaze Kabia, Craig Sibbald, Scott Pittman and Tom Parkes are all two or three weeks away so hopefully the international break helps folk coming back - but then we said that with the last one and it didn’t work that way.
“It just seems to be injury after injury after injury.”
The Lions host St Mirren on Saturday to kick-start a run of fixtures Martindale hopes will see them start climbing the table.
Following the clash with the Buddies, they have trips to St Johnstone and Ross County as well as welcoming Dundee United to West Lothian.
Martindale said: “It’s been a tough run of fixtures where we’ve played all of the clubs you’re probably expecting to finish in the top five.
“It’s paramount that we pick up points in this spell. Last week was disappointing but I do think the two games before it caught up on us so it’s good to get a full week of training.”