Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Beck returns to Liverpool for treatment
Defender’s injury is more serious than first thought
DUNDEE have been dealt a major blow with the news Owen Beck has been ruled out for a significant period of time.
The Wales U-21 international has been a revelation on loan from Liverpool this season and has played a huge role in the club’s top-six challenge.
However, he sat out last Wednesday’s home win over Aberdeen after feeling issues with both groin muscles.
Initially, manager Tony Docherty hoped he could be available to face Rangers on Sunday before that match was postponed.
However, the injury is more severe than first thought and parent club Liverpool have taken Beck back down south for treatment.
“Owen is looking at a minimum of four to six weeks on the sidelines,” Dundee boss Docherty said.
“We have been monitoring and managing the situation with his groin and he’ll now go for a scan on it.
“With Liverpool being his parent club they have a big input into that and, of course, he’ll get the best of treatment.
“He will go down there for that, certainly for this period because he’s their player and they want to look at it themselves.”
At this stage of the season, Beck is likely to miss a big chunk of the remaining campaign.
However, luckily for the Welshman there are a couple of breaks coming up that could allow him to recover in time for the final post-split matches.
Four weeks would take us to the week beginning April 15. Six weeks to April 29.
An international break comes this weekend with four subsequent matches to come before the Premiership splits following the clash with Aberdeen on April 13.
So, best-case scenario would see Beck return for all five post-split matches.
Those five games don’t start until the weekend of April 27-28. That’s due to the Scottish Cup semi-finals taking place on April 20 and 21.
So, while it’s a blow, it is unlikely to be the last time Beck is seen in a Dundee shirt.
The final Premiership matches of the regular season take place on May 19.
The SPFL are set to launch an investigation into Dundee’s postponed match against Rangers on Sunday.
The two sides were due to face off at Dens Park live on Sky Sports only for overnight rain to leave the pitch waterlogged.
Two pitch inspections saw match official Don Robertson call the game off at 10.30am on Sunday, 90 minutes ahead of kick-off.
Rangers made clear their anger at the situation while Dundee insisted more time would have allowed them to get the pitch playable.
However, the game was called off and the SPFL say they will be looking into the circumstances around it.
An SPFL spokesperson said: “The postponement of any match is disappointing given the impact it has on supporters.
“This was particularly disappointing given the fact it was a live TV match and the proximity of the match to the split.
“The SPFL will be investigating the circumstances surrounding this postponement.”
The match is yet to be rescheduled but will need to be played before the Premiership splits following the weekend of April 13-14.