Manchester United head coach Marc Skinner has confirmed that goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce has fractured her eye socket and will be out of action for a while.
He had said before the Manchester derby last weekend that he was hoping she would be available for selection.
But she missed out on the match – with Wales international Safia Middleton-Patel continuing to deputise.
And ahead of Wednesday’s UEFA Women’s Champions League match against Wolfsburg, Skinner told a press conference that the injury was more serious than had initially been hoped.
“There’s a small fracture,” he confirmed, adding that she would be meeting with doctors imminently to discuss what should happen next.
“We’ll see from there, but we trust the quality of our players and our goalkeepers that are coming in. Phallon is a massive part of this team, of course she is, but the deputies are there to step in and stand up and be counted, and that’s why they’re at Manchester United.
“What we’re expecting is, once we find the severity of [what Tullis-Joyce’s injury] will be, then hopefully we’re looking for a potential return after the international window. So it could be as soon as that side. We just have to wait for the severity of it. I don’t believe it will be much longer than that.
“So hopefully we get some good news and we can see a return to the pitch ASAP.”
Marc Skinner: Manchester United players are fine
In better news, he added that Simi Awujo (head) and Ella Toone (leg) were both unscathed after knocks during the match against Manchester City – and he will be selecting from the same squad that were on duty then.
“Simi’s back to normal head size now,” he smiled, referring to the nasty lump she had after hitting heads with Jade Rose.
“Ella’ s was just a bit sharp at the time, so they’re both available. It’s the same squad, really, that’s available. Everyone’s fine and fit and ready, and with the extra day as well, because obviously the Man City game is a two day turnaround [from last week’s match against Paris Saint-Germain], it’s a late evening and an early morning kick-off [on Saturday against City], so it’s a two-day turnaround really.
“We’ve had another extra day which gives the players just that focus and freshness to go into a big game.”
