Ipswich Town defender Axel Tuanzebe has sustained an unusual hand injury while doing the dishes at home. The 26-year-old made the move to the Tractor Boys in summer 2023, marking the end of his long-term tenure with Manchester United. In his first season in East Anglia, Tuanzebe played a vital role in helping Ipswich achieve promotion to the Premier League, participating in 18 Championship games during the 2023-24 season. Though he wasn’t always a regular starter under Kieran McKenna in the second tier, the defender has risen to the occasion in the Premier League this season. Tuanzebe has been a starter in each of Ipswich’s first six Premier League matchplaying as a right-back alongside center-backs Dara O’Shea and Jacob Greaves.
Did Ipswich’s Tuanzebe nearly lose his thumb? After a strong start to the season, Tuanzebe was unable to play in Ipswich’s last match before the October international break, which ended in a 4-1 defeat to West Ham United. BBC Sport reported that the 26-year-old suffered a serious cut to his thumb while washing dishes at home, preventing him from participating in games for the Tractor Boys. It’s been confirmed that Tuanzebe has already had surgery for the injury but is not expected to return for at least a month. On Saturday, Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna described the incident as a “very unfortunate accident,” noting that Tuanzebe’s absence will be felt given his impressive start to the season.A McKenna added.
Who will step in for Tuanzebe in defense?
Targeting a comeback in a month, the former Manchester United and Aston Villa player will miss upcoming Premier League matches against Everton, Brentford, and Leicester City. These matches against teams that might be in the relegation battle present a good opportunity for Ipswich to earn some points. In the recent game against his old club, Ben Johnson took Tuanzebe’s place at right-back as Ipswich faced a tough loss to West Ham. Ipswich is currently using a back four, but switching to a back-five formation could give Chiedozie Ogbene the chance to play as a wing-back for the team.
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