The Ipswich game has come at a massive cost for the Imps, as for a second year running, a key player went off injured in the first game of the year.
Last season, we lost Lewis Montsma against Oxford; he hasn’t been seen since. This year, Matty Virtue pulled up injured and limped off. It’s now been confirmed he’s torn his hamstring and will miss a prolonged period.
“Matty has torn his hamstring,” Mark Kennedy said in his pre-match press conference. “He will be missing for a sustained period, which is a huge shame for him and for us because he’s been a big, big player for us. He’s played every minute, his availability to train and to play is 100%. Bitterly disappointed for Matty, but we look forward to having him back.”
Virtue is on-loan from Blackpool, but a torn hamstring can be quite serious. If it’s a partial tear, it can be four to eight week, but a full tear can take three months to heal. That could rule him out until the season’s final few weeks, leaving us desperately short in the middle of the park.
“He’s had a huge impact on the pitch, training ground and dressing room,” Mark added. “He’s a lovely guy; he’s the ultimate pro. He’s a real gentleman off the pitch, and we’re very proud to have him with us. He’ll be sorely missed, but the most important thing now is for Matty and his rehab.”
That leaves the Imps with Lasse Sorensen and Max Sanders as the first-choice central midfielders, with Jacob Davenport’s future yet to be confirmed and Tashan Oakley-Boothe not featuring for some time.
Virtue has appeared 17 times in League One, scoring once, and has 24 appearances for the Imps in total.
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