Coventry manager Gordon Strachan is running out of bodies to help him in his fight to keep the club in the Premiership.

Noel Whelan and John Aloisi missed Saturday’s match at Arsenal through suspension, Paul Williams and George Boateng were absent through injury and then Roland Nilsson, their most experienced defender, was carried off with an horrific injury.

Nilsson collided accidentally with the Frenchman Emmanuel Petit and came off worse. He fractured two ribs, one of which punctured his lung.

The Swedish international, whose contract runs out at Coventry at the end of the season, may have played his last game for the club.

He had already decided to return home to Sweden to take up a post at his former club Helsingborg. Now it appears that he might not have recovered in time from his injuries to make a final appearance for the Sky Blues.

He underwent surgery in a London hospital at the weekend and today was being transferred by ambulance to a Warwickshire hospital closer to his home and family. He is expected to stay in hospital to the end of the week.

Meanwhile Strachan has other problems. Paul Telfer collected his 11th yellow card of the season at Highbury and now has to appear before the FA.

He is certain to be suspended, just at the time when the club needs every player available for the relegation battle. They could miss the influential Gary McAllister too. He is one booking away from an automatic suspension.