QPR suffer injury blow as Jordy de Wijs forced off in 2-2 thriller with Barnsley
BY NICK KITUNO
Mark Warburton has been dealt an injury blow as Jordy de Wijs was withdrawn at half-time during Queens Park Rangers’ dramatic 2-2 draw with Barnsley today.
The centre-back, who made his loan move from newly-promoted Hull City permanent this summer, had to be replaced with Jimmy Dunne after suffering an ankle problem.
A depleted QPR turned their fortunes around after going 2-0s down through Ilias Chair and Charlie Austin, but are now sweating on De Wijs’ fitness as they remain without key first-team players.
Warburton said: “He rolled his ankle, he landed and rolled his ankle, so we had to respond there. All three subs are used by half-time, so for example, if I wanted to look after Stef [Johansen] or to look after Charlie Austin today, but again both boys played 90 [minutes] and ran themselves into the ground.
“We’ve asked players to step up this afternoon in difficult situations. They have done so, they have earned a well-deserved point and deserve enormous praise and credit.”
Asked whether the seriousness of De Wijs’ injury had been ascertained yet, he added: “No. We’ve got to check, have a scan, see how it is. He came up and it swelled up immediately. We need to go and look at it.
“It’s difficult now because, to lose players to injury and suspension, with a tight squad, is very, very difficult. But they are the challenges of the Championship.”
Lyndon Dykes, who found the net in QPR’s 3-2 victory over Middlesbrough in midweek, was absent for the Barnsley draw, as were both Sam McCallum and Lee Wallace. Moses Odubajo missed out through suspension after picking up a second yellow card at the Riverside Stadium.
Warburton said Dykes has suffered a chest infection but hopes he will be available for the visit of Coventry City next weekend, despite being “touch and go”, while Norwich City loanee McCallum could play “some part” of their League Cup clash with Oxford United on Tuesday.
With Wallace, the Hoops boss said he could be out for a “few weeks”.
PICTURE: ROB AVIS