Songo’o sidelined with ligament damage as Scunthorpe host Walsall

Posted Tuesday, December 24, 2019 by PA

Scunthorpe midfielder Yann Songo’o is out of the Iron’s Boxing Day Sky Bet League Two clash at home to Walsall.

Songo’o sustained medial ligament damage to a knee that forced him off after 29 minutes of Saturday’s 1-0 win at Grimsby.

While boss Paul Hurst at least has midfielder Matthew Lund available after serving his second three-match ban of the season, he concedes he has “got a number of players who are question marks” regarding their availability.

Definitely out is Regan Slater, who underwent ankle surgery on Monday, and Jordan Clarke (quad), while Jordan Hallam (hamstring), Junior Brown (quad), Abo Eisa (groin) and Andy Dales (dead leg) are all doubts.

Walsall boss Darrell Clarke is fortunate to go into a run of six matches in 17 days with almost a full squad to choose from.

Clarke’s main injury concern remains Callum Cockerill-Mollett, who has not featured since picking up a leg injury during the Saddlers’ 3-2 Leasing.com Trophy win over Chelsea Under-21s earlier this month, but is at least training again.

Clarke will also have to decide whether to keep faith with winger Wes McDonald, who was taken off at half-time of the Saddlers’ 3-3 draw at Exeter on Saturday as he “wasn’t having the best of games, to be honest”, according to the Walsall boss.

The manager opted to shore up his defence after conceding two goals late in the first half, and he may opt for five at the back again against a Scunthorpe side that has scored 15 goals in an unbeaten seven-match run.