Queens Park Rangers could be without leading striker Lyndon Dykes when the Hoops visit Cardiff City on Wednesday night, head coach Mark Warburton has confirmed.
The Scotland international has six goals for the Hoops this season in 13 Championship matches and he found the back of the net in the R's last match against Nottingham Forest on Friday evening.
That match came at a price though as Dykes took a knock on his ankle late in the second half, but with Warburton having used all of his substitutions he was forced to keep the forward on the pitch.
It ended with QPR conceding in stoppage time to leave their stadium with just one point rather than three, and the damage done to Dykes could mean that he potentially misses a key fixture against a team with momentum after clawing back a three goal deficit against Stoke City to grab a point at the weekend.
Dykes would be useful against a physical back-line which the Bluebirds do possess, but he is a major doubt as Warburton has explained.
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"Lyndon is touch and go, we’ll see how he is,” Warburton said, per West London Sport.
“He was with the medical team yesterday and we have just got to see how he is and how the inflammation calms down so it may be about seeing how he is tomorrow.
“He will get treatment at the hotel, not that we are going to risk him as we will always look after the players, but let’s see how he is in the next 24 hours.”
The Verdict
QPR are already missing defenders Sam McCallum and Jordy de Wijs tomorrow evening and this would be an even bigger blow if Dykes were to also be absent.
Since the second half of last season, Dykes has been a different player in-front of goal and both he and Ilias Chair are the men that the team turn to right now when in need of a cutting edge.
Warburton does have other options to choose from though should he lose the Scot, with Andre Gray and Charlie Austin both waiting in the wings to be a replacement.
They will both be fresh having not taken to the pitch against Forest on Friday but Warburton will have his fingers crossed that the focal point of his attack will be passed fit by the medical team.