Jim Goodwin has not given up hope of Dylan Levitt featuring again this season after revealing that the Dundee United star will NOT require knee surgery.
The Wales international has not turned out for the Tangerines since being replaced in a 3-1 defeat against Aberdeen on March 4.
Subsequent tests showed ligament damage and condemned him to a spell on the sidelines.
We are speaking to some top surgeons and specialists and it doesn’t seem like he’ll need to go under the knife.
Jim Goodwin
However, Levitt doesn’t require an operation and could feasibly play some role in United’s survival bid.
“It’s too hard to definitively put your finger on it (a timeframe), and we are trying to play it by ear at the moment,” said Goodwin. “It could be three or four weeks, or it could be a bit longer. We’ll need to wait and see.
“The physio and medical team are working extremely hard to get him the best rehab we can.
“We are speaking to some top surgeons and specialists and it doesn’t seem like he’ll need to go under the knife.
“We’ve only go nine games left so we’ll try to push him as hard as we can to have him available for at least some part of the run-in.”
Liam Smith setback
Goodwin also faces an injury sweat over defender Liam Smith.
The former Hearts full-back was replaced in the dying embers of United’s 1-1 draw against St Mirren prior to the international hiatus.
Smith has been struck down by an ankle knock that will rule him out of Saturday’s trip to Ibrox — and the absence could prove more lengthy than that.
“This weekend will definitely come too soon for Liam,” added Goodwin. “We will need to hear back from specialists about the length of time.
“He fell awkwardly — really innocuous — and has an ankle issue.”
Goodwin added: “Charlie (Mulgrew) missed the last game with a hamstring issue and Glenn Middleton is still out.
“We’ve also had a number of the group away on international duty.
“So, we’ve been restricted in the number of players we can train with.
“But we’ve brought a few of the younger ones over to bulk up the numbers. That gives me the chance to look at one or two of them for decisions that need to be made, with regards to contracts.”
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