Paul Warne has provided an update on Dwight Gayle’s injury after his presence was really missed against Northampton Town.
Derby County were plunged into disarray when the news broke that James Collins was set for a spell on the sidelines last month.
The striker had netted 13 goals in League One this season, and injuries to Conor Washington, Martyn Waghorn and Tyreece John-Jules left the Rams’ options very limited.
They worked fast to bring in his replacement though, and fans were left encouraged by the arrival of Dwight Gayle on a free transfer.
The 34-year-old bagged three goals in six games for Derby as they increased their chances of competing for the league title, while Gayle was dubbed a ‘cheat code’ for third tier football.
However, the walls came crashing down again when Gayle was forced off with an injury of his own in the win over Bolton Wanderers.
The veteran was absent from yesterday’s trip to Northampton Town, and his absence was certainly felt as they fell to a 1-0 defeat, with Waghorn taking his place in the starting line-up.
Warne had initially warned that Gaylecould face missing the rest of the season at Pride Park, however he has now given a more promising update on his time in the treatment room.
Following the loss at Sixfields Stadium, the Derby County boss said: “Tom Barkhuizen is out for another 2-3 weeks and, similarly, Dwight Gayle is out for that period as well. We’ll have to look at the squad on Monday and build up to a big game on Friday.”
This means Gayle is likely to miss key games against Blackpool, Portsmouth and Wycombe Wanderers, while he could potentially return in time for a home clash with Leyton Orient next month.
Why Derby County aren’t in serious danger just yet
It is much better news than it could have been, but it could still be a massive blow to Derby’s hopes of winning automatic promotion.
The Rams currently sit four points clear of Bolton, however the three teams below them all have either one or two games in hand, meaning fifth-place Barnsley could potentially move up to within one point.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s injury is also disastrous for Warne’s side, who are really lacking in attacking options going into the final stretch.
Derby’s only real hope now is James Collins, who is expected to return for the trip to Fratton Park.
If the Midlands outfit can claim all three points against Blackpool, then their attacking problems may not be quite as extreme.
It is incredibly frustrating though, as a fully fit attack consisting of Collins, Gayle and Mendez-Laing could really have pushed them up to the top of the table.
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