Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Bruno Lage has provided a potentially worrying admission following their recent defeat at the weekend.
The Portuguese manager was speaking after his side’s FA Cup defeat against Norwich City on Saturday, as he claimed captain Conor Coady has been playing with a slight injury issue.
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“He’s training and playing with the problem in his ankle, so we needed to do it [for him],” said Lage.
Coady completed all 90 minutes of the game at the weekend as he became the 36th player to mark his 300th appearance for Wolves.
But back in December, Lage claimed his captain had a slight injury problem which he was able to play through, and now two months on, the 28-year-old seems to still be carrying the issue.
The game at the weekend marked Coady’s 25th appearance of the 2021/22 campaign, but what could it mean for Lage’s side if Coady was to be ruled out due to this injury concern?
European hopes dashed?
After what was initially a slow start to the 2021/22 campaign under Lage, the Old Gold have come on leaps and bounds in the Premier League, as they sit just four points off fourth place and have a game in hand on Manchester United.
However, if they were to lose their club captain, who has played such a big part in their team so far this season, it would surely put their hopes of a spot in Europe for next season under doubt.
Lage’s impressive season so far has largely come down to Wolves’ excellent defensive record, with the team boasting the second-fewest (16) goals conceded in the Premier League.
Only Manchester City have conceded fewer (14) this season, and given Coady has played almost every second of league action, he would be a huge miss if his injury issue was to prove enough to rule him out of action.
A new leader?
Not only is Coady a regular feature in Lage’s side, but he is the vocal figure in the squad, which has been evident in recent years during the run of games without fans, where the 28-year-old’s instructions could be heard.
If Coady was to be forced out of the starting XI, it would mean Wolves would be without their player with the most Premier League appearances (134), however, Joao Moutinho (130) and Ruben Neves (128) both offer experienced heads in the side.
24-year-old Neves is vice-captain behind Coady, but given the Englishman has barely missed any games over his time with Wolves, the Portuguese midfielder would have to rely on his experience as the captain at Porto to inspire the side, and whether he could have the same positive effect is arguably no certainty.
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