News: Cleverley On Bachmann Injury & Goalkeeping Situation

Head Coach Tom Cleverley wanted to update supporters on the injury to Club Captain Daniel Bachmann, after he went down at what proved to be the very end of Saturday’s Sheffield United clash.

“It’s a significant injury for Dan, unfortunately,” the Hornets’ boss confirmed to watfordfc.com.

“It’s not as serious as we might have first feared, but whichever way we choose to rehabilitate him we’re talking two or three months and not weeks.

“Dan felt at the time that something had cracked or popped, and you can see why he’d have had those sensations at the time.

“The ligament he’s damaged is a significant one for the structure of the ankle.”

Watford’s medical team will now further assess the situation before recommending the best course of action for the goalkeeper’s recovery.

“We can either go down a route involving surgery or set out a plan for more conservative rehab,” TC explained.

“One is a slightly longer rehabilitation period than the other. The important thing now is to make the right decision for Dan’s long-term fitness, and we’ll do that over the next few days.”

The absence of Watford’s No. 1 begs the obvious question around other options.

Said Cleverley: “Bondy [Jonathan Bond] will come in, of course – and he would have played in Thursday’s cup tie anyway.

“Myles Roberts has just come back from Partick Thistle, but although we had another loan experience ready for him we’ll have to re-assess for now on that one.

“[Fellow young professional goalkeeper] Alfie Marriott has got a toe issue which needs surgery. Although it’s not ideal, we can put that off for a while, just to see this period through.

“This next week or so will give us a chance to have a good look at Myles to see where he’s at after what’s been a positive experience for him.”