Mbeumo out for ‘weeks’ with ‘unhealthy’ ankle damage

Brentford head coach Thomas Frank says the ankle damage sustained by Bryan Mbeumo is “unhealthy” and the ahead will doubtless be out “for weeks”.

Mbeumo suffered the issue through the first half of Brentford’s 2-1 defeat in opposition to Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday. The 24-year-old had scored the sport’s opening aim, changing a penalty after Vitaly Janelt had been fouled within the field, however had to get replaced by Yoane Wissa shortly earlier than half-time following a collision with Brighton’s Pascal Gross.

Frank mentioned on Thursday that he believed Mbeumo had broken his ankle ligaments.

“It’s unhealthy,” Frank confirmed. “I don’t know the way unhealthy. We don’t have the precise variety of weeks. He will certainly be out for Saturday and for weeks.

Mbeumo has been in tremendous type for Brentford this season, contributing seven objectives and 4 assists in 15 Premier League video games.

Requested if it is going to be arduous to switch Mbeumo within the Brentford crew, Frank replied: “Sure, nevertheless it was additionally arduous to switch Ivan (Toney, who stays suspended till January).

“We usually discover a method. That’s soccer and it occurs typically. We’ll discover a resolution. There are different gamers who can step up.

“Soccer is such a marginal recreation. Hit the submit, contained in the submit, outdoors the submit, deflection there are such a lot of issues you may’t management like accidents.

“We have to do every little thing we will to get better effectively and there’s additionally some unhealthy luck in it. Bryan is simply unhealthy luck. He will get caught and rolls his ankle. Very irritating in fact however I’m a optimistic man.”

Brentford return to motion on Saturday with a visit to Sheffield United.

What does this imply for Brentford?

This may have big penalties for Brentford’s season. Whereas Ivan Toney has served an eight-month suspension for breaking the Soccer Affiliation’s guidelines round betting, Mbeumo has stepped as much as grow to be their principal attacking risk. He has been instantly concerned in 10 objectives this season — 43.5 per cent of Brentford’s total whole (23).

Solely Erling Haaland of Manchester Metropolis, Wolves’ Hwang Hee-chan (each 50), Mohamed Salah of Liverpool (47.1) and Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke (44.4) have higher data, in accordance with Opta.

There shall be strain on Yoane Wissa to step up however he has solely scored as soon as in his final 13 appearances whereas Keane Lewis-Potter continues to be searching for his first aim within the top-flight. With Kevin Schade out long-term too with an adductor damage, Brentford have a scarcity of velocity and direct dribbling upfront so might want to tweak their fashion.

The one small optimistic piece of stories is that Thomas Frank’s aspect solely have 4 extra league video games, and three of them are in opposition to groups under them, earlier than Toney returns from his ban.

Mbeumo’s damage might influence his probabilities of representing Cameroon on the Africa Cup of Nations. Cameroon’s first recreation is in opposition to Gambia on January 15.

(Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Photographs)