West Brom manager Steve Bruce shares ‘frustrating’ Daryl Dike injury update | OneFootball

West Bromwich Albion manager Steve Bruce has confirmed that Daryl Dike will miss a number of weeks of the season after tearing his thigh muscle.

The United States of America international has been plagued by setbacks ever since his big-money arrival from Orlando City in January – a deal which was triggered by former boss Valerien Ismael.

It was expected that Dike would arrive at The Hawthorns and fire in the goals that would lift the Baggies into the Championship play-offs last season, but in just his second appearance for the club, he suffered a hamstring injury that would keep him on the sidelines for the remainder of the campaign.

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Having worked his way back to fitness over the summer, Dike was expected to be the centre-piece of Bruce’s attack.

However, after a substitute appearance against Middlesbrough on the opening day of the season, Dike has suffered more issues – this time to his thigh – and it’s a problem that Bruce has described as frustrating for everyone involved at the club.

“It’s going to be a right few weeks,” Bruce said on the time Dike will be missing, per the BBC.

“I have to stress it’s a thigh injury – not his hamstring – so it’s frustrating for all of us – for the crowd, for us and for him.

“He’s just got to be mentally strong and get himself back again.”

The Verdict

For the fee West Brom paid for Dike earlier this year, it will be a real source of annoyance for the hierarchy and for Steve Bruce that he cannot call upon the American right now.

There is a real fixture pile-up in August, with cup games and the league to contend with, which means that Albion are basically playing every midweek and every weekend for a number of weeks.

That means that the more options fit the better for Bruce, and with Karlan Grant going off injured against Sheffield United in the Carabao Cup, it leaves West Brom’s boss in a real predicament going into the weekend.

Ideally, Dike will only be out for a couple of weeks, but a tear to a muscle is never a good sign and it could be a matter of a month or two when it’s all said and done.