“A real blow” – injured Ojo joins Arblaster in missing festive period

Port Vale manager Andy Crosby has confirmed that influential midfielder Funso Ojo will miss Vale’s hectic festive period.

Ojo managed 45 minutes against Middlesbrough in midweek before being replaced but wasn’t involved at all in the 1-1 draw against Wycombe.

A regular starter, Ojo was missed as Vale laboured against Wanderers on Saturday afternoon.

Asked about Ojo’s status by the media, manager Andy Crosby confirmed that: “He’s going to be ruled out for a number of weeks. It’s a real blow to us.”

The news follows an injury to Ojo’s regular partner Ollie Arblaster. The teenage loanee, who has been a stand-out performer this season suffered a knee injury in the Middlesbrough match and is also out for several weeks.

In the pair’s absence, Vale played Jason Lowe and Ben Garrity in central midfield on Saturday but both could arguably be best employed elsewhere (Lowe in the back three and Garrity further forward) although Tom Sang, Rhys Walters and (perhaps less likely) Tom Conlon are other options.