Joe Williams Sidelined for ‘Months’ Following Achilles Tendon Injury

Bristol City midfielder Joe Williams is anticipated to be out of action for “months” after sustaining a partial tear of his Achilles tendon. His last appearance for the club was during their victory against Preston. Williams left the field injured during the win against Preston on 2 November and has since traveled to London to consult with a specialist. The 27-year-old has participated in 12 Championship matches for the Robins during the current season. “We’re talking months for Joe, it’s an unfortunate one and one that’s tricky to heal because of how Achilles tend to repair so it’s one you have to be careful with,” head coach Liam Manning informed BBC Radio Bristol. Bristol City was grappling with a considerable injury crisis before the international break, but Manning indicated that several players are nearing their return to the first team. Scott Twine is “getting close,” Kal Naismith is “not far away,” and Ross McCrorie is still a “couple of weeks away.” Sam Bell and Rob Atkinson, both recovering from long-term injuries, are also approaching their comebacks. Manning commented on their recoveries, stating, “It’s making sure that Rob doesn’t go two, three, four weeks without playing match minutes because I do think it’s really important for him to keep building up that bank of workload.” He added about Bell, “[Bell has] been training fully, he looks really sharp but he’s looking well so hopefully he can continue that.” Bristol City entered the international break following a victory against Norwich. Manning, who took charge at Ashton Gate in November 2023, expressed his belief that the squad now possesses “depth” and “competition” in a way it did not a year ago. The Robins are scheduled to host Burnley on Saturday, before traveling to Watford on Tuesday, and then playing Plymouth at home on Saturday, 30 November. Manning further stated, “We’re going into a heavy period in a slightly different stage to what I felt we were last year. Now we’ve got depth, we’ve got competition, we’ve got options to make changes and sustain, if not raise, the level as we’ve seen in recent weeks.” He concluded, “The squad’s in a good place and we want to get people back but we want to get them back and keep them back.” Bristol City concluded the period before the international break with a decisive 2-0 win against Norwich, alongside a disappointing last-minute defeat by Sheffield United. Manning observed that the most significant aspect he has witnessed this season is the players’ commitment to going “all-in.” He elaborated, “We want to make sure we’re aggressive, we’re on the front foot, we hit the level we know we’re capable of and give everything.” He also noted, “I think the lads have hit a consistent level of performance and it’s how do you sustain that across such a tough level of November and December.”