Matt Doherty underwent successful wrist surgery last week and is currently recovering and expected to return to action soon. The Irishman sustained a scaphoid injury against Bournemouth on August 23 and has been wearing a protective splint since then. Due to the scheduled surgery, Matt Doherty will miss Sunday's match against Brighton.  

The injury also means Matt Doherty will miss the Republic of Ireland match over the next week. However, his absence is not expected to be long-term. The 33-year-old has been active and making significant contributions to the national team since his recent return to international duty. Phil Hayward, the club's Director of High Performance, recently provided an update on the injury and surgery at Compton Park.  

He said: "Matt Doherty fell during a tackle and landed on his hand, causing wrist pain. Subsequent imaging examinations revealed that he had a scaphoid fracture, which required surgical repair. The scaphoid is difficult to heal completely without intervention. Once a fracture occurs, the damage is basically done, so the key is to choose the right time to perform surgery within six weeks. Almost six weeks have passed since the injury, so we decided to perform the surgery immediately."  

"Generally speaking, fractures can heal on their own if the bones are aligned normally. However, the scaphoid bone has a very complex blood supply, and once a fracture occurs in one area, the fractured segments may not heal naturally. In the short term, using a splint to immobilize the knee can prevent movement and further injury from falling again. Therefore, before surgery, we are not too worried about aggravating the injury."  

Phil Hayward traveled to Manchester in person and underwent surgery alongside Matt Doherty. The surgery was performed by one of Britain's leading hand surgeons, Mike Haydon. While he specializes in delicate hand sports like golf and cricket, he has also performed and provided expertise on the club's goalkeepers. The operation took one hour and was a complete success.  

He added, "We have frequently chosen Mike for surgery over the past five or six years. The procedure is very simple. Under CT guidance, a small screw is precisely placed through the center of the bone. The screw is accurately positioned, the fixation effect is ideal, and the postoperative recovery is satisfactory."  

"For these more complex injuries, we often consult specialists, especially when surgery may be necessary. From the outset of the injury, we maintained open communication with the specialists, discussing potential treatment options and the best timing. On the day of surgery, we had staff present to monitor the procedure and discuss the post-operative recovery plan. Over the following weeks, as training and competition gradually resumed, we maintained frequent communication with the specialists."  

Four days after surgery, Matt Doherty has returned to Compton Park and is undertaking individual training in the gym. He captained the team against Tottenham Hotspur last week and is eager to return to the team for the upcoming crucial match. However, Phil Hayward has stated that it is difficult to put a specific timetable on his return.  

Phil Hayward said: "Matt Doherty is very eager to return as soon as possible, but we have to respect the fact that he has undergone surgery. The operation not only repairs the bone, but it may also cause inflammation of the surrounding tissue, so we need to wait for the inflammation to subside. At the same time, the skin surface also needs to recover. We must get through this early stage before we can start pushing for his full return. If he falls during this period and causes surgical complications, the post-operative recovery will be very difficult, so we must proceed with caution and follow the surgeon's guidance."  

"He should be completely fine. The success rate for this type of surgery is very high and he is expected to be able to return to training very soon. We can arrange non-contact training as early as possible, allowing him to do exercises on grass that will not cause falls, to maintain his fitness level while the bone heals. When he is ready to return to full contact training, his fitness should be back to his pre-operative level."