Wheatley on crutches as Nolan provides update on quartet after injury-hit night
Kevin Nolan is keeping everything crossed that Ethan Wheatley has not suffered a serious injury after the Manchester United loanee was seen on crutches at full-time of Monday’s defeat against Huddersfield.
The young striker was clearly in pain after falling awkwardly on his ankle when challenging for the ball midway through the first half of Town’s 2-0 defeat at the Accu Stadium. After several minutes of treatment, Wheatley could not continue and was replaced by Tom Eaves.
That came just 10 minutes after Cameron McGeehan also limped off with what looked like a hamstring injury. Cobblers were already without Sam Hoskins and Michael Forbes for the trip north, as well as midfielder Tyrese Fornah who has been ruled out of the festive period by Nolan.
"It’s all precautionary,” said Nolan. “We’re not going to take any risks with the lads at this moment in time because we don’t want to lose them for a long period. Ethan was on crutches but it happens a lot and we’re hoping the scan will just show bad bruising.
"I haven’t caught up with the physio yet but fingers crossed that both Cam and Ethan will be OK. They just felt something but we didn’t want to make them any worse because we have a duty of care to the players.
"Ethan’s obviously a Man United player and we have a duty of care to them so we got them both off and now it’s an opportunity for the rest of the squad to step up and put the shirt on and to keep it on.”
On Forbes and Hoskins, Nolan added: “Michael will probably miss a few weeks. We had to take him off and finish the game against Burton with 10 men but it was just precautionary because, again, we have a duty of care to him and to West Ham.
"Sam’s just feeling a bit under the weather. It happens a lot at Christmas, there’s always a lot of illness going around and it’s just one of those things, but it’s important that we don’t let it go through the squad. I hope Sam will be available to play against Stockport.”