Season over for City's Johnson

Youngster to undergo op

By Danny Wright   Last updated: 11th December 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Season over for City's Johnson

Johnson: Season over

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Manchester City manager Mark Hughes has confirmed that midfielder Michael Johnson will miss the rest of the season.

The club announced that Johnson had picked up a knee injury in training and would face a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

But Hughes revealed that the 21-year-old would miss the remainder of the campaign and will have surgery on the problem at the end of the month.

"It was an innocuous situation, his foot just got caught in the turf," said Hughes.

"These things happen but there is significant damage. Michael had worked hard to get back to a level where I was considering him for games."

The news will come as a massive blow to Johnson, who only returned from a year-long spell on the sidelines with an abdominal injury in September.

He made his return to first-team action in September though, making two substitute appearances and scoring in the Carling Cup win over Scunthorpe in October.

Johnson has remained on the touchlines as an unused substitute in recent weeks but will have no chance of playing any further part in City's attempts to break into the top four.

The City boss admitted he was considering using Johnson in more matches ahead of a busy festive fixture list.

Hughes backed the midfielder to make a recovery from the setback, highlighting his comeback from the stomach injury that hindered a promising start to his career.

"He was very much in my thoughts with Christmas coming up," Hughes said.

"It is going to be a difficult time for him but he has shown in the past real strength of character.

"That will sustain him and he will have an operation on the 21st on his cruciate ligament."