'Minutes from bench a possibility' - Medical guru makes bold claim over Etebo's availability vs Burnley

The Watford versus Burnley is one of several games that suffered postponements largely due to Coronavirus positive cases in the English top-flight.

Etebo's likely return to full fitness is the view of injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.

Etebo featured in all of his club’s six opening Premier League games before he was forced to undergo surgery on a quadriceps issue which ultimately forced him to miss Nigeria's run in the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

"He’s slightly ahead of schedule," Dinnery told Football Insider.

"This is one where he’ll be assessed on a daily basis to see how he competes with the team. It’ll be a big boost for him to be back in training again.

Etebo who broke into the Nigeria national senior team after his exploits at the 2016 Olympics in Rio is familiar with the coaching style of the new manager Roy Hodgson and that could be a good omen in terms of adaptability.

"Maybe the arrival of (Roy) Hodgson can benefit Peter Etebo. He has looked historically towards a 4-2-3-1, and Etebo would fit nicely in that midfield.

"There are a big number of first-team squad players at his disposal, so there isn’t any pressure to rush him back.

"In theory, if he’s coming through with these sessions without any issues, it’s just a case of building that baseline fitness and sharpness.

"I definitely wouldn’t expect him to start again Burnley. But minutes from the bench are a possibility.

"In mid to late February, he will be approaching peak levels of fitness."

Etebo who also had a stint in Turkey signed from Stoke City on loan last summer with an option to buy.

Izuchukwu Michael