SWANS: Ronald out for up to eight weeks with a hamstring injury, as Lissah returns for QPR trip

Ronald faces six to eight weeks out with a hamstring injury, Swansea City head coach Vitor Matos has confirmed.

The Brazilian felt the problem after starting at right-back in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to West Ham.

“Only news is that Ronny felt his hammy after the game, so we assess he’s out for six to eight weeks. That is the news at the moment,” Matos said.

That rules him out of Saturday’s trip to Queens Park Rangers (3pm), and could keep him out until December.

‘In this case, of course, we will miss Ronald’

Matos said the winger had already made his mark this season, with two goals off the bench, including the 90th-minute winner at Millwall, the club he nearly joined on deadline day.

“He impacted the season in different ways from last season. I think he’s come from the bench really good already, with two goals from that, always impacted the game, worked hard,” he said.

Ronald had been preparing for right-back for weeks before the West Ham game.

“I think he had a good game against West Ham in a position that we were adapting him already for a period of time, expecting that something would happen. I think he had a really consistent game, even created the last chance in the game.”

“It’s not the most pleasant news, but we are here to use the squad and to help him as well, recover and get back stronger.”

“It’s such a healthy squad, such a competitive group, that when a player is not there, we always miss him somehow. In this case, of course, we will miss Ronald.”

Filip Lissah back at right-back, but Josh Key misses QPR

Filip Lissah is available again after serving a one-match ban against West Ham.

Josh Key has joined in part of a training session as he comes back from injury, but will not be involved against QPR.

“At full back, we will have Fil back again, so that’s another option for there and really soon, Keysy,” Matos said.

“We have options there. We have wingers, we have midfielders who can play wide as well in different types of dynamics.”

A chance for Jeremy Monga?

Ronald’s absence could open the door for Jeremy Monga.

“Of course, when one winger is injured, that creates a gap. That is a space for another player to fill,” Matos said.

“Jeremy is one of our players. He’s training good. I think he’s getting, step by step, much more used to us and much more used to the environment, and that’s good.”

Ross Stewart ‘not happy, but professional’ after missing out

Ross Stewart was left out against West Ham under the EFL’s homegrown player rules, despite being fit.

“Like all pro players who love to play and love to show their passion for the game, of course, not happy, but as well professional and understanding of the situation,” Matos said.

“He’s back on training, trained really well this week. So that’s what I like more about Ross, is that he sees the situation, understands. He’s training hard like he’s doing.”

Matos admitted the club knew the squad was short of homegrown players, and said it would look at the problem in January.

“We were aware of it already, but sometimes it’s not always easy to go for the market in a way that makes sense as well,” he said.

“That’s something that, of course, we will try to take care of in the next window, knowing that it’s, again, a January window and we all know how it is.”

Middlesbrough can go top on Friday night

The Swans are still a point clear at the top of the Championship, but Middlesbrough will go top if they win at Bolton on Friday night.

Swansea are at QPR on Saturday, 24 October (3pm).