Lebogang Manyama will miss Absa Premiership leaders Kaizer Chiefs' match-up against Stellenbosch FC at Orlando Stadium‚ Amakhosi coach Ernst Middendorp has said.
Manyama is perhaps Chiefs' most influential player‚ along with striker Samir Nurkovic‚ for his passing ability from midfield‚ vision round the box and deliveries from set pieces.
The midfielder was substituted off at half time as Amakhosi suffered a 3-1 midweek setback against Bloemfontein Celtic at Tuks Stadium.
Middendorp said afterwards Manyama had carried a niggling injury into that game.
"Lebogang Manyama will not be available for the game [against Stellenbosch]‚" the coach said.
"Perhaps we will get him back for the following games. Unfortunately he has been carrying an injury.
"We have to acknowledge it and look for the treatment for the remaining games starting next week."
Middendorp said with little time between matches to assess players' fitness‚ he will "look for honesty" from his squad on their state of readiness to meet Stellenbosch.
"Everybody has seen the individual performance from the majority of players in all departments [against Celtic].
"We haven't done well. We haven't really shown the performance that we are expecting of ourselves‚" the coach said.
"Of course‚ looking forward‚ the combination‚ who is fresh - I am expecting a certain honesty from everybody.
"Because we have no training sessions really between the games. Usually you have a Saturday game and then\ six‚ seven days where you can monitor the players and get an impression.
"That's not the case here. We are just going into a recovery day‚ then a bit of a light session‚ then the next game is at your door.
"It's a new experience for us. We have certain players struggling with freshness.
"Of course it was expected‚ because of the 'preseason'. It was not the same preseason for everybody.
"There were players who tested positive [for Covid-19]‚ there were players going to funerals of family members‚ not being in training for [the full] 14 days.
"OK‚ we will not go further in details. But just to give you a little bit of an input as to why things are not always going as we expect."
Chiefs (52 points from 25 games) have a five-point lead over second-placed defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns (47 from 24)‚ who meet Lamontville Golden Arrows at Dobsonville Stadium on Monday.
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 