Charlton boss Bowyer: Starting key man would have been an injury risk against Pompey

Charlton manager Lee Bowyer has revealed he wanted to start Liam Millar in last night’s 3-1 loss to Portsmouth – but feared the on-loan winger’s workload put him at risk of injury.

The Liverpool man had been the matchwinner at Milton Keynes last time out but was on the bench for Tuesday’s League One fixture at The Valley.

Millar replaced Albie Morgan at the interval.

Asked about the Canadian’s substitute role, Bowyer replied:“Because he has played so many games since he has been here. He was one that went 90 minutes, 90 minutes, 90 minutes, Saturday-Tuesday, Saturday-Tuesday…he’ll break down. I don’t want to lose Liam Millar for five, six or seven games.

“I’d rather let him have a little rest, which he’s had now, and then after this weekend we have got a few games which are Saturday, Saturday, Saturday – so we can get his recovery as well.

“We played on a bad pitch at Peterborough and then a bad pitch at MK – his hamstrings were tight. It would’ve been a bit of a risk to start him. But now he’s had his rest and he’ll start Saturday. Then he’ll have a full week’s recovery. That was the right thing to do with Liam.

“Did I want to leave him out? Of course I didn’t – he was excellent the game before. But I didn’t want to lose him through injury.”

PHOTOS: PAUL EDWARDS/KEITH GILLARD