Bolton Wanderers boss Keith Hill has described Liam Bridcutt as the best defensive midfielder in League One and claimed his quick return to fitness is "a massive boost" for the club.

The Nottingham Forest loanee dislocated his shoulder and fractured his sternum in the goalless draw against Blackpool in October.

Though it was feared he would be out until after Christmas, Bridcutt returned to the starting XI after just six weeks for the Trotters' 1-0 win against MK Dons on the weekend.

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The 30-year-old had been a key player for Bolton prior to picking up his injury–starting and wearing the captain's armband in his first five League One games.

Speaking to the Bolton News, Hill heaped praise on Bridcutt following his return.

He said: "Personally, I think he’s the best defensive midfielder in the league by a country mile. He is not just defensive as well, he gets you going forward.

"I have been trying to encourage him to come back. I did for the FA Cup but out of the two–it isn’t me picking and choosing, I really wanted to win in the cup–but I was really pleased he came back."

He added: "It’s a massive boost but I know at some point we’ll keep losing players

"It’s brilliant Liam is back. Ali Crawford is out for a significant amount of time, up to four months, Will Buckley is out for another six weeks. I am just mindful of another ticking timebomb of an injury coming on. Fingers crossed we can circumnavigate that.”

Bridcutt's current loan deal is set to expire on the 5th of January but on the back of Hill's comments you'd imagine the club will be hoping to extend that to the end of the season.

The Trotters have now won three on the bounce in League One and have moved into positive points for the first time in the 2019/20 campaign–having started the season with a 12-point deduction.

Bolton are now 12 points adrift of safety in the third flight of English football and survival remains a monumental task.

The Verdict

When Bridcutt picked up the collarbone injury against Blackpool, it seemed as though Bolton would be without the midfielder for some time.

For him to come back from a dislocated shoulder and fractured sternum in six weeks is phenomenal and you'd have to agree with Hill, it's a massive boost for the club.

Safety still looks a long, long way off but things finally appear to be going the Trotters way and if they can carry on this strong run of form, who knows what might happen.