LOUIE Sibley faces up to six weeks out with an ankle injury picked up in training.

The Oxford United midfielder was absent from the matchday squad against Hull City, with head coach Des Buckingham confirming after the game that the 23-year-old has been added to the U’s injury list.

During the win against the Tigers, Ben Nelson was forced off just after the hour mark, potentially deepening the injury woes that United currently face.

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Buckingham said: “My injury board has got too many names on it. Louie Sibley went over in training on his ankle, so he’ll be out for around four to six weeks.

“Ben came off, and I haven’t got an update on him. We will, as we always do, send him if we feel there’s a need for a scan and we’ll assess him.”

Centre back Jordan Thorniley has been plagued by ankle problem of his own since the end of August, and has made just one appearance this season, playing the full 90 minutes in the Carabao Cup victory against Peterborough United.

Buckingham said: “Jordan Thorniley has been out with an ankle injury. We probably need to do a bit of an update on players just to make everyone aware.

“Jordan’s been recovering and coming back from an ankle injury that he sustained two or three months ago, and we’ve been managing him, but we’re not expecting him back or anyone for the Watford game.”

With no Sibley available though, summer signing Marselino Ferdinan made the matchday squad for the first time since his arrival, while it meant the U’s turned to academy forward Louis Griffiths as their back-up option if injury was to strike again before kick-off last night.

Buckingham said: “Louis Griffiths is next in line. Louis was our additional man if someone would’ve gone down in the warm-up, and he would’ve come into the squad.

“We are really testing the depth of our squad. He’s 17 and had to change in a separate changing room because of the safeguarding rules.”

He added: “I said I wouldn’t use injuries as an excuse, and I think this has been a very good example of not doing that.

“We’ve got players that can step up and step in, and what we have to do is put together a game plan that allows us to position ourselves as well as we can, and then the players trust themselves to do it.

“If they continue to do that going into Friday, we’ll put ourselves in a good position. We’ll welcome the break because we’re hoping there’ll be a couple that come back after that, that will help add some depth to our squad for when we return after the break.”