Watford striker Dennis Emmanuel is a serious doubt for Nigeria’s friendly games against Mexico and Ecuador next month, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The striker is among the 30 Eagles players invited for the games against the Americans with the game against Mexico scheduled to hold at the AT & T Stadium in Dallas, State of Texas May 28, before flying to New Jersey to tackle Ecuador at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison on June 2.
The friendly will serve as preparations for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sierra Leone at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on June 9 and São Tomé & Príncipe in Marrakech, Morocco on June 13.
Dennis was omitted from the Watford squad that played a goalless draw during their mid-week game against Everton.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s game against Leicester City, Roy Hodgson confirmed that the Nigerian has suffered a knee injury and has been ruled out of the Hornets’ game.
“Tom Cleverley has severely bruised ribs and then Sarr and Dennis with their knee injuries won’t be risked. Those names, you can forget them,” the manager was quoted as saying by Watford Observer.
“I’ll be honest with you, I’m really quite happy to give those boys that played the other night another go. I think if anything, they deserved it.
“I’m not I’m not crying or bleating about the situation there. I’m actually quite looking forward to it. For me, watching the game the other night was one of the more enjoyable experiences I’ve had, and one of the more pleasurable ones in the sense that I saw a team trying to play as a team and do all the things we’ve tried to ask them to do as a team and doing it together. And doing it with plenty of determination and guts.”
Though the extent of the injury remains unknown, the news will come as a major concern for Salisu Yusuf as he prepares the team for the friendlies and AFCON qualifiers.
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