COVENTRY City goalkeeper Oliver Dovin will miss the rest of the season after suffering an ACL injury, head coach Frank Lampard has confirmed.
Dovin sustained the injury in the first half of City’s recent 3-1 defeat at Sheffield United with the keeper stretchered from the field following lengthy treatment on the pitch at Bramall Lane.
And the club recalled young shot-stopper Luke Bell from his loan spell earlier this week to provide further competition for first team goalkeepers Bradley Collins and Ben Wilson.
Lampard has now confirmed Dovin will play no further part in Coventry’s season having made 30 appearances for the Sky Blues this campaign.
Lampard said: “He has got as we feared, an ACL injury which ends his season. He is going to have surgery and we’re really disappointed for him.
“The time frames I’m not going to go there, but in the short term we know that his season is done.
“He has had an incredible season personally and the strides he’s taken since we’ve been here, making the Sweden squad, makes it slightly more bitter because he’s been doing so well.
“On reflection, he should understand how far he has come and it’s an unfortunate thing for us and we all support him.
“He is disappointed, particularly in the moments after the injury, as is normal.
“He is a really good lad, low maintenance and he has been brilliant in every sense.
“We spoke to him, and he understands it now and these things are obviously challenging for young players who want to play and want to do well, so we will all support him along the way.”
The 22-year-old recently earned a call-up to the Sweden squad following an impressive run between the sticks for City since Boxing Day.
Dovin has recorded seven clean sheets in his last 17 appearances and played a crucial role in Coventry’s charge up the Championship table.
Coventry host Burnley on Saturday, April 5 with kick-off at 12.30pm at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
