Port Vale manager gives injury update ahead of Chelsea cup tie

Port Vale manager Jon Brady has updated the media ahead of his side’s highly anticipated FA Cup quarter-final tie against Chelsea.

The Vale ‘warmed up’ for the game with a poor 4-0 away loss to Wycombe Wanderers – a game during which left wingback Jaheim Headley was forced off early with injury.

Brady confirmed that Headley will miss this game but he will not be ruled out for too long. The Port Vale boss told the press: “He has taken a muscle strain. It is nowhere near as bad as it probably looked when he came off. So, if we can have him back in a couple of weeks it would be really good for us.”

In Headley’s absence, Liam Gordon, back from International duty with Guyana, will be favourite to start on the left flank. Loanee Elijah Campbell is another option if Gordon is fatigues from International duty. Another Vale player to play for his country, Ben Waine, is a less likely starter.

Brady says the Kiwi striker, who scored his first International goal while a Vale player, is a doubt because of the long flight back to the UK. Brady commented: “Ben came back yesterday after a 27-hour flight. I have done that many times myself from Australia and it usually takes a week to get over. We have to consider whether we start him. We don’t want to break him.”

Other players who are likely to miss out are midfielder George Byers, striker Jayden Stockley and defender Ben Heneghan, who have all missed recent Port Vale matches.