A pair of promising Manchester City youngsters are struck down by injury

A pair of Manchester City youngsters have been struck down by injury while out on loan. Liam Delap and Alex Robertson will both spend extended spells on the sidelines. The pair had been enjoying successful loan spells at Hull City and Portsmouth but will now miss significant periods of the season.

Liam Delap looks set to miss the next three months of the season due to a knee injury. The young striker’s injury kept him out of Hull City’s 1-all draw with Birmingham City in last weekend’s FA Cup third-round tie.

Hull City manager Liam Rosenior manager confirmed that Delap will face an extended spell on the sidelines. He told the media: “He’s looking at hopefully two to three months minimum and it’s a real shame for him, for us and for everybody connected with the football club because he’s been such a bright spot. It’s an issue in his knee, but hopefully it can be fixed without surgery and that’s what we’re hoping for.”

Meanwhile, young City midfielder Alex Robertson may miss the remainder of Portsmouth’s season due to a hamstring injury. The young Australian suffered the injury while at training.

Portsmouth manager John Mousinho confirmed the severity of Robertson’s injury. Speaking with the BBC he said: “The tear on the hamstring is worse than we originally thought and it’s unlikely we’ll see him before the end of the season. He’s back at Manchester City getting a second opinion but it’s a real blow, for us and him.”

It is a cruel blow for the Manchester City youngsters. Delap and Robertson had been prominent players in Hull City’s and Portsmouth’s seasons to date. They will both now begin their road to recovery from their cruel injury blows.