Michael Ihiekwe is something of a legend at Lincoln City, despite never having kicked a ball. In April 2017, he bagged a last-minute winner for Tranmere against Sutton.
‘That will kill Lincoln‘, he said, after we’d drawn 1-1 with the same opponent days earlier, courtesy of a late leveller from them. It did the opposite, despite Tranmere winning 9-0 in their next game. We won every match after his comments until we’d secured the title, getting the last laugh. Ever since, Ihiekwe has been famous in LN5 for his comments.
The defender is now with Blackpool, and Ian Evatt has confirmed he is being carefully managed ahead of facing The Imps, with injury concerns shaping his recent absence.
The 33-year-old was left out of the Seasiders’ draw with Bolton Wanderers as part of a deliberate plan to have him ready for the challenge City presents. Ihiekwe, who has previously won promotion from League One with both Rotherham United and Sheffield Wednesday, has struggled for rhythm since his move to Bloomfield Road, largely due to a persistent toe problem.
For much of the season, he has been managing that issue, even undergoing steroid injections in an effort to ease discomfort. While that has offered short-term relief, playing twice in a week has proven too much, forcing Blackpool to ration his minutes.
That meant he was absent against both Mansfield Town and Bolton Wanderers, but Evatt has indicated the focus has very much been on ensuring he is available to deal with City’s physical presence.
Evatt targets aerial battle
Speaking about the decision to rest his defender, Blackpool’s head coach made it clear that Lincoln’s strengths were a major factor in the thinking.
“He’s still struggling with this toe, “It hadn’t settled in the way we would’ve liked post Saturday, and with Lincoln coming up, which is a completely different challenge in terms of aerial dominance, we decided to fix the toe the best we can to have his physicality on the pitch for next week.”
That reference to aerial dominance underlines the respect opponents continue to show City in key areas of the pitch. With Michael Skubala’s side consistently competitive in both boxes, the physical battle on Saturday could be pivotal.
From a Lincoln perspective, the focus will remain firmly on maintaining standards at home. Opposition teams are clearly tailoring their preparation specifically to combat City’s strengths, and the likely return of a seasoned League One defender highlights the respect The Imps are commanding.
Saturday’s contest promises to be a physical encounter, with Blackpool aiming to counter City’s threat in the air. Whether Ihiekwe’s managed return is enough to blunt that edge will be one of the key subplots as we look to continue our push.