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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Ian Mitchelmore

Russell Martin gives double injury update for Middlesbrough test as Swansea City boss addresses FA charge

Russell Martin revealed Joe Allen will miss Swansea City's Championship clash with Middlesbrough but confirmed Matt Grimes will return from illness.

Allen sustained a muscle injury in his side's 1-0 defeat to Luton Town last weekend and was withdrawn just before half-time of the contest at Kenilworth Road. As for captain Grimes, he missed the game in Bedfordshire altogether but is poised to return for the visit of Boro this weekend.

“Joe will miss the next couple of games, probably,” said Swans boss Martin. "That is disappointing and frustrating for Joe, and for ourselves, but we hope it will be no more than that.

READ MORE: Swansea City news as FA charge Russell Martin over Luton Town red card and pundit predicts Middlesbrough result

“Otherwise everyone is in a good place. Other than the goalkeepers who are injured, everyone is fit and available and we have Grimesy back.”

Meanwhile, Martin says he does not expect to receive a touchline ban after being charged by the Football Association following his red card at Luton.

The head coach was part of a touchline fracas in the final throes of the Championship contest last weekend that led to both the Swans boss and Luton's assistant Richie Kyle being dismissed by referee Dean Whitestone.

But the 37-year-old says there was no animosity between the two sets of coaches following the conclusion of the fixture.

"I don't think it's going to end up in missing a game or a touchline ban or anything because it wasn't anything serious," he said.

"As long as I don't miss a game I'm fine. It really wasn't very much, it really didn't need to be red cards at all, the reports pretty much sum that up, but I guess something has to be done.

"I won't miss a game and that's the most important bit for me. Rob's a great guy, there was no animosity after.

"We were in the office for 45 minutes after. I know Paul Trollope very well, I worked with him at Norwich, a great guy, a good coach. Rob I played with at Norwich. Gilly (Matt Gill) knows a couple of members of their staff as well. It was absolutely fine. It really didn't need to happen."

The Swans are bidding to halt a run of four games without victory on Saturday, with Martin's men collecting just one point from the 12 on offer since beating Blackpool 2-1 at the Swansea.com Stadium in February.

They are firmly up against it this weekend though, with Michael Carrick's men - who have surged from 21st to third in the Championship standings since the former Manchester United and England midfielder was named as Chris Wilder's successor in October - being the form side in the division at present.

But Martin is confident his struggling Swans can rise to the challenge when they welcome Carrick's troops to south Wales.

"He's (Carrick) inherited a really good squad, they've really taken to what he wants, a really good team and a really good style of play," he said.

"We've really enjoyed watching them and analysing them. They're the form team in the league at the moment on a brilliant run. It's a good challenge for us.

"It'll be tough with the form they're in, the players they've got and the way that they play, but I really think we're capable of causing them a lot of problems so I'm excited by the game."

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