LACK OF INJURIES AT CITY IS JUST ROBINS’ CUP OF TEA!
ONLY TWO OUT OF SEMI-FINAL – ALTHOUGH KASEY MISSING DUE TO CRUEL SUSPENSION
COVENTRY City are dusting themselves down after kissing goodbye to this season’s play-off ambitions at the weekend with a thoroughly disappointing performance and defeat at Birmingham.
Fortunately for the Sky Blues, they still have plenty to look forward to with this Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium coming as the club’s fourth trip to the national stadium in the last seven years under manager Mark Robins.
City booked their place in the last four of the competition they won back in 1987 when they came from behind at Premier League Wolves in a dramatic late win at Molineux in the quarter-finals.
The big question is whether they can pull another big effort out of the bag and compete with the Red Devils, first and foremost, and then secure another shock result by becoming the only Championship side left in the competition to go all the way to the final.
In terms of injuries, City aren’t looking too bad, which is in contrast to their opponents, albeit Erik ten Hag has a far bigger squad from which to choose. The one big miss, of course, for City is long-term absentee Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, while it also looks as though energetic midfielder Jamie Allen won’t be available either after picking up a calf strain on his recent return to training from a fractured cheekbone. Elsewhere, striker Matty Godden made a return to the matchday squad at the weekend after sitting out three games with a calf issue and should be available to play a part.
Meanwhile, one of the cruellest blows to City’s squad this weekend is the suspension to play-maker Kasey Palmer who picked up his second yellow card of the competition against Wolves, meaning he has to sit out Sunday’s match. Here we look at Coventry’s casualty list, including what’s been said and their expected return dates.
In terms of injuries, City aren’t looking too bad, which is in contrast to their opponents, albeit Erik ten Hag has a far bigger squad.
JAMIE ALLEN What’s he done?
The midfielder suffered a fractured cheekbone following a challenge by Sheffield Wednesday defender Di’shon Bernard in the FA Cup fourthround replay at the CBS Arena which the Sky Blues won 4-1. He had surgery a few days later to have titanium plates
fitted in his cheekbone, which Robins described as “horrific”. Although he returned to training pretty much on schedule, he suffered a calf strain in his first week back on the grass with his team-mates and still hasn’t been fit enough to return to a matchday squad.
What’s been said?
“He’s got a specific setback,” said Robins. “He’s got a calf injury at the minute. It’s just tight because he’s been out for so long. So it’s going to takes a little bit longer to get back.”
Expected return date
Unspecified at the moment but given the fact that he’s been out since early February it’s extremely unlikely that he will be available for Sunday.
TATSUHIRO SAKAMOTO What’s he done?
The winger suffered a serious back injury in the 3-0 defeat by Preston North End when he went up for a header and landed heavily.
What’s been said?
“He will miss the rest of the season,” said Robins. “He has a bad back injury and has to recover. Sakamoto, left, travelled with City to Blues at the weekend, which is a good sign that he’s up and about and no longer in any pain and ready to step up his rehabilitation.
Expected return date
The Japanese star is expected to return for pre-season.