Steve Bruce issues major injury update as Blackpool prepare for Sheffield Wednesday tie

Blackpool manager Steve Bruce has admitted he will be forced to make ‘a lot of changes’ as he prepares to face former club Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup.

Bruce took charge of the Tangerines for the first time on Saturday when CJ Hamilton and James Husband found the net in a last-gasp 2-1 home win over League One rivals Exeter City. After making a positive start to life at Bloomfield Road, the former Newcastle United and Sheffield United boss will hope to rack up another win when he faces another of his former employers on Tuesday night. With the Owls struggling to find form and travelling to the North West coast with just one win in their opening five Championship outings this season, the tie represents something of a banana skin for Danny Rohl’s men - and the presence of Bruce, who had a five-month spell in charge of the Owls in 2019, will only heighten concerns over a possible upset.

However, Bruce has bemoaned several fitness issues he is contending with ahead of Tuesday night’s clash as he confirmed he has genuine concerns over the availability of three key players.

He told The Blackpool Gazette: “There’ll be a lot of changes, because I need to see the squad, but we’ve also got one or two knocks, and of course Fletch (former Wednesday striker Ashley Fletcher) is suspended.  There’s a big question mark over Ballard tomorrow and whether he’s recovered. It was a bit of a dead leg, he was in discomfort, he’s touch and go. It’s a bang, so it’s a physical knock rather than muscular, so that gives him a better chance, so we’ll see how he is.

“Two midfield players, Evans and Norburn, in particular are a problem. Lee has a foot injury, and with Ollie we don’t know if it’s a hamstring or a tendon injury, he might miss the next month - we’ll know more about that in the next 24 hours, but it doesn’t look good.  The pair gives us strength and physicality, they’re both very good players. We’ll have to adapt that’s what the squad is for- that’s football. Let’s hope someone else can take the chance to shine in that position.”

Bruce also revealed on-loan Ipswich defender Elkan Baggott will remain on the sidelines and is still over a month away from making a comeback from an injury he suffered in training last month.

“He’s still in a boot at the moment,” Bruce said. “He’ll be in it for another week, and then there’s his rehabilitation, so I don’t think we’ll see him for the next month or so. It’s frustrating and disappointing for the player himself.”

There was one positive for Bruce with Ryan Finnigan looking increasingly likely to return to contention as a late decision will be taken on his involvement.