Last week was a decent one for both Cardiff City and Swansea City, but they will both limp into their weekend matches in the Championship.

Both Welsh clubs won last weekend – Cardiff at Sunderland and the Swans at home to Sheffield Wednesday – but injuries have struck to undermine their campaigns.

For the Bluebirds, there is the certainty of being without Aaron Ramsey for at least three weeks and the possibility it could be a lot longer.

Ramsey is to seek specialist advice after suffering a knee injury in training which looks set to rule him out of Wales’ upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers.

Cardiff manager Erol Bulut has said he expects the midfielder to miss at least three weeks of game time – which would rule him out of both of Wales’ crucial Euro 2024 qualifiers against Gibraltar and Croatia – and potentially more if he requires surgery.

The fear is that Ramsey may have suffered a ruptured tendon, which could rule him out for a number of months.

Bulut said: “It’s something with his tendon in his knee, the same knee he had an operation on many years ago.

“I hope we can have him back after the international break. But we are waiting for news on that.”

 

The first match Ramsey will be absent for is Cardiff’s home game against Rotherham on Saturday.

The Millers are currently bottom but one of the Championship, having won just once in their opening eight matches.

At Swansea, Josh Ginnelly, Joe Allen, and Nathan Wood are all set for lengthy spells on the sidelines after picking up long-term injuries in recent weeks. The trio won’t figure again in 2023.

Ginnelly is unlikely to feature again this season after he ruptured his Achilles in Saturday’s victory over Sheffield Wednesday.

Allen – who was withdrawn in the warm-up ahead of the south Wales derby – and Wood – who picked up an injury in the first half against Sheffield Wednesday – are also ruled out until January as they require operations on groin and ankle injuries respectively.

“It’s been bad news for injuries,” admitted Duff, whose team go to south London to face Millwall on Saturday.

“But football being football, it’s an opportunity for someone to come in and grab the opportunity.”

The loss of the three players – and particularly the experience of former Wales midfielder Allen – is a significant blow to Duff, who only has one Championship win under his belt so far this season.

A year and three months after returning to the club, Allen’s influence has been undermined by a succession of injuries.

So far, he has managed just 17 league starts for the club out of the 52 that have been played.

 

Newport County manager Graham Coughlin has said he is pleased at the arrival of new owner Huw Jenkins, ahead of his team’s visit to Salford City in League Two.

The club’s Supporters Trust voted on Thursday night to push through a takeover by former Swansea City chairman Jenkins, which will give him a 52% controlling interest in the club after a £500,000 investment.

“If the fans have voted him in, the fans obviously wanted it,” said Coughlan. ‘’They are the most important people at the football club. It’s brilliant that we have some positivity and that fans have had their say, but my aim now is to concentrate on the football.”

Newport have also been hit by injuries after losing defender James Clarke for eight weeks with a groin injury.

After seeing his team smashed 5-0 last week at Stockport County, Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson has hinted he will change things up for the visit of League Two rivals Crewe.

“There are players who’ve trained well and are chomping at the bit for an opportunity,” said Parkinson.

“It’s up to us to pick the right team to take on Crewe and get back on track.”