Mathias ‘Zanka’ Jorgensen will miss his first ever minutes of Premier League action with Huddersfield Town at Manchester City on Sunday.
In a massive blow for head coach David Wagner and the team, the 28-year-old Denmark World Cup player has a muscle injury suffered in training and will miss the trip to the Etihad.
Midfielder Jonathan Hogg is also facing a race against time to play against Pep Guardiola’s side, as the man who captained Town last week is under treatment for a hip problem.
Popular centre-back Zanka , who played every minute of Town’s Premier League campaign last season, will definitely miss out, however, and will also have to improve quickly to make the cut for Cardiff City at home the following Saturday.
Wagner explained: “We had a very good start of the week when all 23 squad players were healthy and available for training.
“We used the opportunity for Elias Kachunga and Collin Quaner to play in the Under 23s and both played well, Kacha scoring three goals and Quaner two.
“But then Zanka got a muscle injury in training, not serious but it looks like he will miss the game on Sunday.
“But we hope he will be back for the next one against Cardiff, even if the decision has to be made late next week.
“His muscle injury is not the worst one, but it’s an injury which makes it happen that he can’t train for the next five to seven days.
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“Unfortunately this means he will miss the game (against City).”
On Hogg, Wagner added: “Hoggy has a bit of a hip problem and he is doubtful for Sunday, but we still have hope he will be ready.”
