Clement on Diallo fresh injury fears

The Senegal international winger was a notable absentee on Sunday, with head coach Philippe Clement confirming after the Carrow Road defeat he had reported some pain in his legs following the midweek League Cup exit at Manchester City.

The 23-year-old played 45 minutes at the Etihad as part of his gradual return to fronline action, after an injury-hit debut tour in Norfolk in the wake of an initial £4.3m move from France.

Diallo was out for four months following thigh surgery last season, but upon his return under then new boss Clement the wide player's campaign ended in February 2026, when he withdrew from the starting line up against Blackburn after feeling some pain in a shooting drill.

“It doesn't look like something that will be healed in a few days,” said Clement, who had made it clear only last week City were in no rush to fast track Diallo after seven months out with a torn muscle. “So it's a really weird one to have that one when it was good after the (cup) game. But we need to look with the specialist what the reason is behind it.

"We're really gradually bringing him back, like you've seen the last weeks, the last months. It was planned for 45 minutes in the cup and then take him off. He felt really good at Man City, but two days later he felt something in his quad, and now in his other leg.

"So he was not able to play, and we need to assess with the specialists how bad that one is. It is always a concern when someone is injured, whether he was injured before or not.”

Diallo had five goal contributions in 11 senior appearances during his injury-hit first tour in green and yellow. The attacker opened his account for the new season on his first start since January 2026 in the 2-1 home win over Birmingham earlier this month.

The likes of Ante Crnac and Jovon Makama have also been eased back from longer term injuries at the start of the new campaign. But Makama was forced into an extended shift against the Trotters, following Mo Toure’s shoulder injury.

Ben Chrisene (shoulder) and Kenny McLean (ankle) were also injured in the closing stages, with all three scheduled to be away on international duty in the coming three weeks.

Toure, however, was ruled out of Australia's upcoming friendlies against Brazil by the Socceroos on Monday afternoon.

“It's too early to assess that,” said Clement, speaking immediately after the Bolton defeat. “Yes, but of course it doesn't look good if you need to come off the pitch in the last game before you are due to go.

"Two players with the shoulder popped out in one game. Then Kenny getting a problem with his ankle in the moment you made your last change. That is why I said it was a frantic game, and the pieces fell on the other side when we wanted late momentum to get something from the match.”