Gareth Southgate has revealed that Justin Hoyte will be sidelined for a month following cartilage surgery.
Defender to miss festive period following surgery
Gareth Southgate has revealed that Justin Hoyte will be sidelined for around a month following cartilage surgery.
The Middlesbrough defender has been struggling with a knee injury for a couple of weeks and was sent for an operation on Friday.
He missed Saturday's 1-1 draw against his former club Arsenal and will now have to sit out the busy festive period.
Southgate does not expect Hoyte to return to action for four weeks, meaning he will play no part in the games against Fulham, Everton, Manchester United and Sunderland.
A possible comeback date is the trip to West Brom on 17th January.
"Hoyte had a cartilage op on Friday so he's out for four weeks," Southgate told the
Evening Gazette.
"He's had the problem for a couple of weeks. We thought we might be able ride it out but he took another bang on it at Hull and we were forced later in the week to operate."
Mido and Gary O'Neil missed the Arsenal match with hamstring problems while Andrew Taylor failed a late fitness test on his knee and Didier Digard limped off towards the end with a groin strain.
Southgate is not sure when the players will return, adding: "We'll just have to wait and see."
