Friday 18 March 2016 07:11, UK
Motherwell manager Mark McGhee has revealed the club could be set to request the postponement of Saturday's Premiership game against Aberdeen after a virus swept through the squad.
The club had already called off an U20 match against Celtic on Tuesday after the majority of the squad were suffering with the flu-like symptoms.
At his weekly media conference on Thursday McGhee revealed the illness had now reached the first-team squad leaving him with the prospect of struggling to field a team against the title-chasing Dons.
Motherwell are already without Stephen Pearson, who is out with a punctured lung and broken ribs, while Louis Laing is still missing with a groin injury. Captain Keith Lasley has also been rated as a serious doubt with a dead leg.
"We had to shut down the club on Wednesday," said former Celtic and Aberdeen striker McGhee. "We had the entire U20s wiped out by a virus, we had six of the first-team squad showing symptoms.
"At the moment, our head count seems to be about 15, which includes two or three of the young boys who have never been involved at first-team level. So, it's looking pretty grim at the moment with Lasley, Pearson and Louis Laing all injured.
"Of the team who have been starting of late, we have probably got about six training this morning. If we turn up tomorrow with another three or four missing then we could be considering seriously whether the game can go ahead.
"If I have nine or 10 of the ones that have been playing every week, then I will be quite content to go into the game. I don't want to go in with six though."
McGhee says he will be left with little option but to put in an official request to the SPFL should the virus affect any more of his players.
"If we had another three or four showing these symptoms and unable to train, then it would leave me with no choice," he added.
"I mean, I might only have nine players including the entire U20s. I can't go into a football match with eight or nine players."
However, the Scottish Professional Football League said on Thursday evening that they are yet to receive any word from the Fir Park side about possibly postponing the game.
An SPFL spokesman said: "We have not received any request from Motherwell FC in respect of Saturday's Ladbrokes Premiership fixture against Aberdeen FC at Fir Park. As matters stand the game goes ahead as scheduled at 3pm on Saturday."
