Official update on Livramento, Schar and transfers after injury nightmare

Despite going through to the fourth round of the FA Cup, it was a brutal 120 minutes for the entire squad in yesterday's shootout win over Bournemouth: the last thing we needed before the Man City game on Tuesday.

Not only did it go all the way while City put 10 past Exeter, Tino Livramento suffered his third injury of the season, this time to his hamstring as he hobbled off in the second half.

Howe admitted he was "absolutely devastated" to see the right-back come off with a hamstring issue, confirming that he will join Fabian Schar in facing a "period of time" on the sidelines:

"It looks like a hamstring problem which is always a worry when it is muscular.

"I am not too sure on other details other than that. But he is obviously going to be out for a period of time.

"I am absolutely devastated for him because he has worked so hard to come back in terms of physical shape.

"There is no change on Fabian, he will see a specialist. But he will be out for a period of time."

This leaves just Lewis Hall, Sven Botman, Malick Thiaw and Kieran Trippier as the only fit senior defenders we have, and almost certainly ends any idea of Alex Murphy being loaned out this month, barring some replacements coming in.

On that note, Howe was then asked if injuries to Livramento and Schar will shift our January transfer stance, hinting at our need for more available players now we "don't have the options" to cope with such a busy schedule right now:

"We have taken the right stance so far, but will assess it on a day-by-day basis.

"Obviously, one area we did not want to lose players was defensively and we have lost two in quick succession. Let's see, we discuss things on a daily basis, and we will try to make the right decision."

“We need players to play games. We need enough cover. Today, unfortunately, we put a couple of the players at risk just with extra time.

“That is every player on the pitch the risk gets higher in extra time the more you play. We'd love to have enough bodies to lessen that risk but at the moment we don't have the options.

“I think we have to make the right decisions in terms of detailed discussions to make sure we come to the right conclusion.”

A lot may depend on the extent of Tino and Schar's injuries, but if both are bad and Burn doesn't return soon, we are undoubtedly left too short for what promises to be a busy January and February; two months that will go a long way towards shaping the success of our season.