Sheffield Wednesday manager Darren Moore has given an update on the injuries sustained to Michael Ihiekwe and Lee Gregory in their FA Cup win over Mansfield Town.
It wasn't a vintage display from the Owls as they narrowly beat the Stags 2-1 in the FA Cup second round on Saturday. Two late goals from substitute Michael Smith gave Wednesday the win with Mansfield proving to be a tricky side to overcome.
The Stags started much the better of the two sides, with early chances falling to Lucas Akins and Hiram Boateng. Mansfield took a deserved lead on 34 minutes when George Lapslie converted Kellan Gordon's cross from the right.
Wednesday found an equaliser after 78 minutes when Marvin Johnson squared the ball across the box and Smith finished from close range.
The same two players linked up in the 83rd minute and Smith once again tapped home to see the Owls through to the third round.
However, the win may have come at a cost for Moore with Ihiekwe and Gregory both being withdrawn from the game. Speaking to
Yorkshire Live, Moore provided an update on the pair, saying:
"Both are contact injuries. Icky [Ihiekwe] was a coming together of knees, and with Greggers [Gregory] the land has come down on his foot.
"So we’ll have to wait and see where both of them are at, but hopefully they’re not too serious. We’ll assess them over the next 48 hours."
It's potentially a big blow for the Owls with Ihiekwe being withdrawn, and with Gregory they could lose an striking option if injuries are more severe than first feared.
Wednesday's next game is against Derby next Saturday in a huge clash at the top of the table.
The Verdict
It's potentially significant news with the pairing being key players for the Owls. Both have a huge amount of experience, and losing them prior to a big game against Derby could be huge.
Defensive options are light for Moore and he will be desperately hoping that Ihiekwe is fit for the game next week. For Gregory, it's not as significant considering the wealth of options the Owls have in the final third.
