Jack Whatmough blow increases strife for Wigan Athletic boss

The big centre-back limped off in the closing stages of Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Championship leaders QPR.

Striker Charlie Wyke didn't travel to the capital after picking up a hamstring injury in training.

And with the games continuing to come thick and fast ahead of the break for the World Cup, the Latics boss admits it's a concerning situation.

On Whatmough's injury, Richardson reported: "We don't have a prognosis at the minute.

"But Jack Whatmough - like all our players - is so important to us.

"And with the numbers in our squad, when you lose Jack Whatmough, Callum Lang, Charlie Wyke, Ryan Nyambe, it's a tough ask.

"When you're going to places like QPR, top of the league, you need everybody."

On Wyke, Richardson revealed: "Charlie is nursing a damaged hamstring.

"Hopefully it's not as bad as what we first feared, but we're waiting to find out."

Lang only returned from ankle ligament damage last Wednesday against Middlesbrough, and had to be substituted after coming on as a substitute after suffering a recurrence of the problem.

Nyambe, who arrived as a free agent in the summer after leaving Blackburn, hasn’t featured since the defeat at Hull on October 5.

On a more positive note, Tom Pearce and Gwion Edwards started for the Under-21s at Hull on Monday night.

Edwards has been sidelined since damaging an Achilles tendon on the first day of pre-season, while Pearce has been limited to one minute of game-time in the league – against Preston on July 30.