Walsall head coach Mat Sadler has provided an injury update on Danny Johnson, stating that the attacker will return to action by mid-to-late March after his recent scan.
The Saddlers have been on an excellent run of form in recent weeks, winning three games on the spin in League Two to lift the side to within three points of Gillingham, who occupy the final playoff place in England’s fourth tier.
Furthermore, Sadler’s side have two more home games before the end of the week, including a visit from Accrington Stanley tonight followed by another winnable fixture on Saturday against relegation-threatened Doncaster Rovers at Poundland Bescot Stadium. Six points from these two matches could put Walsall inside the top seven.
๐ ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ต๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ ๐พ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐!
๐ฎโ๐จ ๐ผ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐๐ค๐ช๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฅ๐๐จ๐จ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ข @hutchisaac… pic.twitter.com/yLo8GDgjiB
— Walsall FC Official (@WFCOfficial) February 25, 2024
One of the most impressive aspects of the West Midlands club’s displays this term has been how many players chip in to score goals, particularly since Johnson has been sidelined. Overall, 19 first-team players have bagged for Walsall this season.
Johnson has been one of the side’s most prolific attackers over the past two campaigns, particularly last season. In 52 appearances for the club, the former Middlesbrough and Mansfield Town striker has found the net 20 times in all competitions.
However, Johnson has been sidelined since a 3-1 defeat to title-chasers Stockport County in mid-January. But, speaking ahead of tonight’s clash with Stanley, manager Sadler has confirmed that the centre-forward is just three or four weeks away from returning [quotes via Express & Star]:
โThatโs all good (the results from the scan). So probably another three or four weeks away from being where we can play and call on him again,”ย Sadler said.
โHe has now come out of his boot and will start up his rehab.โ
Writer’s View
It is very positive news for Walsall and Sadler that Johnson is out of his protective boot after suffering a broken toe, with merely 13 games of the League Two campaign remaining. Now seems to be the perfect time for his return too as the side are on a superb spell of form.
While Johnson hasn’t been as prolific this season as he’d have liked compared to his performances in the previous campaign, he can still pop up with some important goals for the club which could be the difference between earning promotion and not.
