Murphy latest victim of injury jinx

ATHLETIC’S injury curse has struck again — this time AFTER a game.

Rhys Murphy became the eighth addition to a crippling injury list after he hurt a calf muscle doing extra work after the Barnsley game had finished.

Caretaker manager Dean Holden returned to the home dressing room after his post-match duties to find Murphy on the physio table with an ice pack on his leg.

The 24 year old will sit out tonight’s home clash with MK Dons (7.45pm kick-off) as a result.

The extraordinary list of players suffering calf injuries now reads: George Elokobi, Joseph Mills, James Wilson, Liam Kelly and Murphy. Amari Morgan-Smith is out with a hamstring problem, as is Jacob Mellis. Dominic Poleon has injured his shoulder.

Holden says an investigation is underway to determine why so many players are suffering soft-tissue injuries. Of those listed, Jacob Mellis is the closest to a return, in around two weeks.

“There absolutely is an underlying factor,” said Holden. “With soft tissue injuries, there is always a reason. It is never just bad luck.

“There is a pattern — we started off with hamstrings and now it is calfs. It’s three-quarters of the squad. There’s an investigation behind the scenes as to how we can put it right.

“We want to fix it now. Obviously in the summer we can have a proper look at everything but as of now we still have games to play and we want them out there.”

Holden has no doubts about the quality of tonight’s opponents, even though they haven’t won any of their last four games.

“They are one of the best teams in the division,” he added of Karl Robinson’s side. “They bring their own challenges. Stranger things have happened. We could go on a run now — and you sound like a lunatic saying it. But we could, easily.

“The performance was good against Barnsley. We just weren’t defensively good enough at set pieces and that is something we have worked on again in training.”

Adam Lockwood is out through suspension tonight, while Brian Wilson returns from a one-match ban.

Athletic were linked yesterday with a swoop for Huddersfield’s ex-Cardiff defender Anthony Gerrard.

The cousin of Liverpool legend Steven, Gerrard will slot straight into the side if an emergency loan deal is done.