Charlton Athletic head coach Michael Appleton did not discuss the possibility of recalling Daniel Kanu from his loan at Southend United immediately after Miles Leaburn suffered a hamstring injury. The extent of Leaburn’s injury will be known by the end of the week, as the 20-year-old was substituted in the first half of the recent 2-1 victory against Cheltenham Town. With Chuks Aneke also sidelined with a muscle issue in the same area until the beginning of 2024, Appleton acknowledged the standard 24-hour recall rule for players not in league football but highlighted the presence of other talented options, such as Micah Mbick on the bench and Patrick Casey, who scored five goals in the U23s recently.
In an ideal scenario, Appleton expressed the desire for Leaburn and Aneke to be available in the attacking lineup but acknowledged the need to adapt without them, presenting an opportunity for other players. Slobodan Tedic, a loanee from Manchester City, replaced Leaburn and had two scoring opportunities against Cheltenham. Appleton praised Tedic’s performance, noting that he had challenged and demanded more from him in the past week, seeing a positive response. Appleton expressed satisfaction with Tedic’s potential contribution as long as such performances become consistent, considering him an asset to the team.