Carlos Corberán delivered information regarding the fitness of four first-team players to members of the media during his press conference at the training ground on Thursday morning.
The boss provided an update on Semi Ajayi, Kyle Bartley, Paddy McNair and Daryl Dike.
Ajayi suffered a hamstring injury in the second half of the club’s encounter with Cardiff City last weekend and will require surgery. The Nigeria international is expected to be missing for around 16 weeks.
McNair also picked up a hamstring injury in the opening minutes of the clash with the Bluebirds at The Hawthorns. The issue will prevent him from playing for approximately eight weeks.
Kyle Bartley, who has missed the Baggies’ last three fixtures, had minor surgery to “clean” a problem in his knee. The boss hopes to see his vice-captain return to action in around four to six weeks.
Finally, Carlos revealed American forward Daryl Dike will be ready to be involved after the Christmas period after sustaining a setback last week.
Corberán told reporters: “We’re looking at around eight weeks out for Paddy McNair owing to a hamstring injury.
“Semi, unfortunately, has suffered a more difficult injury. It was an action which was an accident. In this action, he has broken his muscle in two parts.
“The best way to manage this injury is with surgery because surgery helps reduce the risk of suffering this type of injury again.
“There are injuries which affect the tendon in specific areas where you have to have surgery. The surgery delays things by around two weeks, but it also reduces the risk of the injury reoccurring.
“Returning in about 16 weeks is the approximate time when you have this type of surgery.
“Kyle Bartley has had an injury and he has had minor surgery this week. It’s a different type of surgery. It’s a more positive one because it cleans the problem that he had in his knee.
“We have been very positive with this but the time from surgery to recovery is around four to six weeks.
“We are talking about three specific centre-backs who have had injuries at the same time, all within a week. It is what it is and it will be a challenge for us as a team and for individuals too.
“However, we still have players who can play in that position. Players such as Torbjørn Heggem, who has been playing at left-back. We know he can find his level as a centre-back in a line of three of four.
“Mason Holgate is another player who is similar to Heggem and someone who we consider as both a centre-back or a full-back. He can manage this position too.
“We have players here who can allow me to keep playing with a line of four despite the three injuries, or we can find alternatives in a line of five at the back.
“We have other players who can fill in positions such as Ousmane Diakité and Gianluca Frabotta.
“It’s true that we now have a time which is challenging in terms of our defenders, but we will find solutions.
“Our defensive players have been playing very well and that meant other players didn’t have many opportunities to play. The players who weren’t playing many minutes are very good players and they will now get their opportunity in the team.
“We now have a challenge as a team to keep showing solidarity in our defensive positions.
“Elsewhere, when Daryl suffered his original injury we hoped he’d be back before Christmas. The new muscle injury will now mean he will return after Christmas.”
