Bolton Wanderers boss issues injury update ahead of Cheltenham clash

The defender picked up the injury during last weekend’s 2-1 win at Charlton and had to be taken off at half time.

Johnston has been an important member of Evatt’s squad this season but the Whites will now have to cope without him as they aim to keep climbing the League One table.

Meanwhile, Shola Shoretire is available for the weekend despite coming off early in the second half at the Valley with a back issue.

The Manchester United loanee showed promising signs in the number 10 role against the Addicks before he was forced off.

“Shola is fine, he has trained all week. It was just an impact injury really,” the Bolton boss explained.

“George is not great, he has got an ankle sprain. I am not going to give a timescale on it yet but he will be out for the next few weeks at least.”

“We are hoping around the three or four-week mark but we are not going to label it at the moment, we are just going to see how it progresses.”

England Under-21 defender Luke Mbete arrived on loan from Manchester City on deadline day, but Evatt says that move was already in the works before Johnston’s injury.

He added: “It was already going to happen. It is just really funny at the moment that every time we seem to let a player go, a player in that position gets injured in the next game.

“That is just football isn’t it? It doesn’t mean to say the decisions were wrong, the decisions at the time were right. We have been a little bit unfortunate that we have picked up injuries in those positions.

“But as I said, Luke was happening anyway. We felt like we needed some defensive cover and someone who can impact the team, and he will certainly bring that.”

Evatt also revealed that Randell Williams has been dealing with a slight hamstring strain, while Dan Nlundulu and George Thomason are both getting closer to a return to action.

“Dan is doing well,” said Evatt. “He is progressing well. He will probably be the same time as George Thomason – probably two weeks.”