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First Team

Injury News: Brooks suffers setback

Interim Head Coach, Gary O'Neil, has provided an injury update on the squad ahead of the weekend's trip to Newcastle. 

He admitted that David Brooks has had a setback in his return, having felt a tweak in his hamstring after taking part in a development squad game last week. 

O'Neil began by discussing the Wales international, before giving an update on the remainder of the squad. 

"David Brooks suffered a slight setback in the development squad game," he said.

"He had some pain in his hamstring, which is initially disappointing for him. Having said that, it's not unusual for any place who has been off grass long-term.

"When players come back, there's always a spell where they need to get their body used to being on the grass. They have to adapt to the stresses of playing football every day.

"I'm not surprised that it's happened, but I'm disappointed for him. We were never going to rush him back, so we'll see how he is in the coming weeks. 

"Elsewhere, Junior Stanislas has trained well and has been on the grass for few days. It's good to have him back and he has big quality. 

"We're in a similar place to the previous match. The game comes too soon for Joe Rothwell and Ben Pearson." 

After bouncing back from the Liverpool defeat with a goalless draw against Wolves and a remarkable 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest, O'Neil believes the character in the squad is stronger than ever. 

"I've spoken about the qualities of the squad a lot and you have no choice but to bounce back.

"If you lose a game, whether it's 9-0 to Liverpool, or 1-0 at home to someone else, you have to respond. We'd review the game and look at where things went right and wrong, and we get back to work. 

"I expected the boys to bounce back and I expected them to at half-time during the Forest game. Once again, I have full belief in what they're going to show me on Saturday. 

"For any team to have any success, they have a real togetherness and want to achieve something. Last year's promotion was tough at times and the group came through all the scrapes through end of the season.

"People might have been asking questions and then the squad go to Huddersfield and beat Forest and show up for big games in high-pressure situations. It's how they are and they're an incredible group."