Jim Goodwin is hoping to persuade Jamie McGrath to delay surgery and put his shoulder into St Mirren’s top six push.
The standout Irish midfielder dislocated his shoulder in the midweek defeat to Celtic.
Saints are already without Eamonn Brophy and Kristian Dennis long-term and it now looks like Jake Doyle-Hayes could be added to that list, after he came off against Aberdeen with a suspected heel fracture.
The manager conceded McGrath will need surgery but hopes he will put it off and help the Buddies to seal a top-end finish to the season.
Goodwin said: “Jamie McGrath has dislocated his shoulder. “We got the results back from that on Friday and we will sit down with him to see if there is a possibility we can maybe manage that until the end of the season.
“It probably will need surgery but we will try and hold it off for the next few weeks.
“It would be great to secure that top six in the next month and then we could go and get Jamie operated on.”
The Paisley side will now need to wait and see the extent of fellow midfielder Doyle-Hayes' injury.
Goodwin added: “We have had one thing after another with Brophy’s serious injury, Dennis' serious injury and McGrath now needing shoulder surgery.
“Jake’s one doesn’t look good at all. He went up for a header and landed awkwardly and he has left on crutches.
“It looks to be a problem with his heel.
“Worse case scenario it could be a stress fracture and that would suggest it will be a serious one.”
