Cobblers striker Sordell facing two weeks on the sidelines with knee injury

The 27-year-old has a ‘slight tear’ in a medial ligament, and although Town boss Keith Curle says the Burton Albion striker could play on Saturday if required, that would not be fair on the player who will now be allowed the time to work his way back to full fitness.

Before signing for the Cobblers last Thursday, Sordell had been out of action since November 10 with a knee problem, and Curle has admitted bringing him to the club was a ‘calculated gamble’.

But it is a gamble the Town boss believes will still pay off, and Curle says he is willing to be without the former England Under-21 international in the short term, if it means it will benefit the team over the remaining months of the season.

“Marvin has a slight tear in the medial ligament,” confirmed Curle, speaking ahead of training ay Moulton College on Thursday.

“It has been identified on a scan, and it is something he has had for a couple of weeks.

“He is still getting a little bit of discomfort, and too much discomfort that we don’t want to make it worse.

“Potentially, Marvin could play and perform but it wouldn’t be the level that I need him at, and certainly not the level that he wants perform at.

“So I have taken the view that I would rather spend two or three weeks getting him where I need him to be and then get him out there.”

Questions may well be asked as to why the Cobblers would risk making a deadline day signing a player who has been injured for such a long period of time, but Curle has answers at the ready.

Sordell made his Town debut in the 4-0 defeat to Colchester United last weekend before missing the trip to Tranmere Rovers in midweek, and the Cobblers boss insists the injury is short-term, and the player will soon be back out on the pitch.

“You get the opportunity to get a player of Marvin’s quality, knowing that he had a little bit of time off with an injury,” said Curle, who only signed Sordell 15 minutes before the end of the January transfer window.

“It was a calculated gamble because we had enough information, we knew what it (the injury) was, and then when the player says ‘I can give you more, but I might need to take two weeks out to get it right’, I am prepared to do that.

“I don’t want to ask players to me favours and go out and perform when they are not able to perform at the level they want to.

“When Marvin was taken off last Saturday, he didn’t get taken off because he was injured, he was taken off because he had got through 60 minutes having not had a competive game for two or three months.

“He gave us an hour and showed his qualities.

“I will now take time and use the next two weeks to get the rest of his body in good condition, so that in a fortnight’s time we will have another good player and another good option coming back, rather than potentially risking further injury.”

As well as Sordell not being fit for the trip to Sincil Bank this weekend, midfielder Sam Foley will also miss out with his back problem.

Left-back George Cox (ankle) is unavailable, but Jay Williams is fit having missed Tuesday night’s 2-1 win at Tranmere Rovers.