Duncan Barkes

And so since we've arrived at him, let's talk about the possibility that we have lost Blair and Ume, perhaps for some considerable period of time.

I hesitate to say it, although I said it at the time.

I hope he's not out for the rest of the season.

That was when Blair went down.

Didn't see what happened to him.

It was on the edge of our own penalty area.

Whether he just suddenly pulled up with something or whether he was involved in a tussle and took a knock or a strain, don't know.

We'll find out, won't find out today.

Today being the day of the game.

The final whistle was about five, ten minutes ago.

And ditto with Umeh.

He obviously strained something when he was trying to regain his balance, having swivelled on the ball, let it go a little bit further ahead of him than he intended, saw an Arsenal opponent closing down on it, tried to get his balance back quickly so that he could accelerate, and his leg just made an awkward-looking shape in the air.

It twisted, not against the ground or an opponent.

His legs seemed to twist in the air and he was limping as he was trying to slow down.

He was limping on it and he got to the touchline and he was down.

And you could tell from the way he was lying on the floor.

that he wasn't going to get up straight away.

I think he almost made an effort to get back onto the pitch, just so that there'd be a little bit of clock.

Whether or not he did or not, I don't know, because the game got going again fairly quickly.

And so I didn't even see whether he was carried or held.