Wolves' Connor Ronan backed to return stronger than before

The 18-year-old Irish youth international has starred in his three starts for the club and earned big praise from his boss Paul Lambert.

But the youngster is now out with a stress fracture to his back. Lambert said it was a blow for both Ronan and the team and that the midfielder would do well to play again this season.

"I think he'll come back stronger," the head coach said at yesterday's pre-Blues press conference. "He's had a growing spurt with his body developing and the stress on his back has given him a bit of a problem. It's a blow – the games he's played he's probably been one of our best players – but come summertime he'll be stronger and I expect him to really push."

Ronan joins five other players on the sidelines.

Ivan Caveleiro (knee), Joe Mason (hernia), Silvio (foot) and Michal Zyro (knee) are all unavailable, while Jordan Graham has just returned to training following a serious knee injury. When asked if Ronan would struggle mentally with being sidelined so soon after breaking into the first team, Lambert said: "I'm not so sure because I think he's really strong in the brain. He's a terrific lad, comes from a good home and good people around him.

"As a professional footballer I think he's different class. I think he lives his life right, he does the right things, he prepares the right way. His body is just developing into a man, he's only 18, and little stress fractures can happen.

"Mentally and temperament-wise he'll be a top player. All he needs is a bit of luck going forward. Football-wise he's excellent and mentally he's one of those kids that you could play in front of 50,000 and I don't think he'd have a problem.

"He's still really quiet. I just need to get one smile out of him, just one! You look at him and can think there's nothing of him, but once you see him on the pitch you know he can play.

"His future is going to be excellent."