THERE are growing fears that Nedum Onuoha's season could be over.

The England Under-21 international damaged muscle and ligaments in his right knee in an innocuous challenge in training last Friday and the injury is worse than first thought.

It is another kick in the teeth for the former youth team captain, who played in all the Premiership games over the Christmas and New Year period and had re-established himself in the back three.

He suffered a strain that forced him out of the FA Cup replay against Sheffield Wednesday and the visit of Blackburn but was ready to regain his place against Southampton when the accident occurred.

Now Onuoha who missed most of last season with a series of injury problems, faces a trip to see a specialist in London, another huge test of his patience and powers of recovery.

"He had a scan on Monday that showed a reasonable amount of damage in his right knee," confirmed boss Stuart Pearce.

Outstanding

"We are still waiting to find out the full extent of that and he will have to go to London to see a specialist. He will be out a number of weeks but whether that means the season, we don't know yet.

"You have to feel for Nedum and, from a selfish point of view, the team as well. I thought he was getting better by the game and was outstanding against Bolton in his last match.

"He came back from a slight niggle and then on a Friday morning, when you are trying to nurse your players through the session, there was what looked an innocuous challenge.

"He walked off the pitch then came back on to try to continue and couldn't. He didn't have a great deal of pain but the scan showed a reasonable amount of damage."

At the other end of the age scale in the squad, midfielder Trevor Sinclair will not be back in action this weekend against Reading despite serving his one-match ban. He has a tear in his groin that will keep him out for two or three weeks.

How big a blow for City is another injury for Onouha? Have your say.