Motherwell midfielder Barry Maguire will miss the next month with a knee injury, manager Graham Alexander has confirmed.
The club academy product has established himself as a regular under Alexander and picked up the knock away to Hearts last month.
He's missed every game since and now the number six will be missing for at least another month. Motherwell host Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup fifth round on Saturday.
Injury will see Maguire miss the double header with the Dons - who play at Fir Park in Premiership action next Saturday - and a trip to Rangers amongst other games.
Alexander says a scan hasn't come back with good news but the rest of his squad is looking healthy, with Mark O'Hara and Ricki Lamie back in training.
He confirmed: "Barry is going to be out for a while which is unfortunate. He picked up that injury away at Hearts. He's hurt himself there.
"We've had him scanned and he's going to be out for another month or so. That is disappointing as I thought he was in great form for us.
"He was really stepping into that role of the first team regular that he's been working so hard for over a couple of seasons now.
"But he's going to be out now. Everyone else is fit and raring to go."
The Steelmen haven't won a league game in 2022 but their only win came in the Scottish Cup against Morton in fourth round competition. Aberdeen's only win this year was in their fourth round tie with Edinburgh City.
Alexander added: "Every game is an opportunity for feeling good about yourself. We want to go through to the next round but we have a real tough opponent.
"We know of their abilities and what individuals they have. We know how they play and we will have to overcome that. We always dream when you're young of winning a trophy and this is an opportunity to do that."
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