9:30am Thursday 18th March 2010
By Brian Owen
Injured Kazenga LuaLua is facing a lay-off after returning to Newcastle for treatment to a hamstring problem.
Albion will not know for how long they will be without their on-loan flying machine until he has been assessed at St James’ Park.
LuaLua is almost certain to miss Saturday’s trip to Oldham after pulling up in Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat of Brentford.
Chris Holroyd, who went on for LuaLua and left the action after the break with a hamstring injury, is also expected to miss the trip to Boundary Park.
That could open the door for Nicky Forster, who replaced Holroyd against the Bees and converted a penalty, to enjoy only his second start since a transfer dispute at the end of January.
Albion boss Gus Poyet said: “Kaz is going to Newcastle to be seen by them. It doesn’t mean he will be recovering with them. We need to wait and see.
“He felt his hamstring when he was sprinting which makes you think he probably pulled it.
“It depends how big the injury is. If it’s normal it could be three weeks, if it’s a slight injury it could be two weeks, if it’s big who knows?”
Poyet also expects to be without Holroyd for the Oldham trip but he could be back for the visit of Tranmere a week later.
The Albion boss joked: “They are both explosive players. I never pulled my hamstring in my life!
“They are that kind of explosive player and they risk that kind of injury.”
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