Liverpool youngster Isaac Mabaya is set to return to the club after suffering a major injury setback on his full debut for Wigan Athletic. Mabaya agreed at the beginning of the month to spend the season on loan with the League One side and made his first senior career start in their League Cup tie against Notts County on Tuesday evening.
However, the 20-year-old defender was stretchered off after only 29 minutes with Wigan boss Ryan Lowe later offering a gloomy initial diagnosis.
“He’s in a boot at the moment,” said Lowe. “I don’t really know right now.
“The medical staff spoke to me briefly at half-time, and I went over to see how he was. I’m just gutted for the kid, he’s a fantastic lad, a great human being.
“He’s had his ups and downs with injuries, but we thought this one might be the year for him – both ourselves and Liverpoolthought that.
“We know it’s something to do with a lower limb, but I’m just gutted for him.
“It’s probably not looking good, though, especially with his injury record. It doesn’t look good.”
Mabaya, who made his senior Liverpool debut in the FA Cup fourth-round defeat at Plymouth Argyle in February and came off the bench for Wigan’s opening two League One games, has been sidelined for significant stretches during the previous three years due to injury.
And the youngster is now expected to return to Liverpool for further assessment and to start his rehabilitation.
“We’ll speak to Liverpool to see what they want to do,” added Lowe. “Knowing his injury record, and what he’s done, he’ll probably go back to Liverpool and let them address the situation from there.”