Highlights
- Derby County are facing multiple injury concerns, with Tyreece John-Jules already sidelined.
- Another issue has now emerged after a first-team star suffered a hamstring issue this weekend.
- Paul Warne’s squad is at risk of losing their balance between midfield and attack after the latest update.
Derby County have been dealt an injury blow to another player alongside Tyreece John-Jules, and Paul Warne has delivered an update on his situation.
What’s the latest injury news at Derby?
Liam Thompson, Max Bird and Jake Rooney are all currently on the sidelines with their own respective problems at Pride Park, as well as John-Jules, who hasn’t had the opportunity to make the impact that he would have hoped following his summer move from Arsenal.
The Rams striker is yet to make his first full start since putting pen to paper on a half-season loan with the outfit in the Midlands, and he wasn’t named in the squad for the League One 1-1 draw vs Portsmouth on Saturday, with reports claiming that he’s set to undergo a scan to discover the extent of his issue.
However, there is now also fresh concern over Conor Hourihane, who was forced off the pitch with hamstring pain during the latest fixture which saw him replaced on 38 minutes by Elliot Embleton, and the boss has shared what he’s heard on the midfielder’s current state.
How long is Conor Hourihane out for?
Speaking during his post-match interview following Saturday’s encounter, Warne was asked about Hourihane’s departure from the field. As quoted by DerbyshireLive, he said:
“I don’t honestly know with Conor because I’ve not spoken to him since the game ended. But when he came off on the side of the pitch during the game he said he has had one of those nervy tendons in his hamstring before and he’s just run it off.
“He thought he could run it off, but he couldn’t. It could be two or three days or two or three weeks – I don’t honestly know. It isn’t ideal to make that change early on.”
How good is Conor Hourihane?
Following his arrival at Derby last summer, Hourihane has quickly become an integral member of Warne’s squad and the positive impression he’s made since the start of this season in particular has been clear to see, therefore it would be a huge blow if he was to be ruled out of action.
The Bandon native, who is naturally left-footed, has posted four contributions (two goals and the same number of assists) in seven league appearances this term which has seen him hailed a “quality” player in the final third by journalist Josh Bunting.
The Rams’ £12k-per-week earner has also recorded a total of ten shots so far over the course of the campaign which is the joint second-highest number throughout the whole of the squad, via FBRef, which shows the threat he poses even if the ball doesn’t always hit the back of the net.
Furthermore, Hourihane is a versatile operator having been deployed in seven different positions since the start of his career, including everywhere across the midfield, at left-back and even out wide on the left-wing, so this is another attribute that the boss may have to cope without should his star be set to face a spell on the sidelines.
