Bolton Wanderers v Barnsley: Injuries to Conor McCarthy & Luke Thomas will motivate Reds to do well for pair

Results wise, give or take the odd rogue result, it's been a heartening start to 2022-23 for the Reds, who are chasing their fourth successive league away victory – and clean sheet – at Bolton on Saturday.

The main downside has arrived by way of two serious injuries to defender Conor McCarthy, expected to be out for the rest of the season following knee surgery and midfielder Luke Thomas, also sidelined for a significant spell after breaking his leg and damaging ankle ligaments.

Both have undergone surgery and are now embarking on the long road back to fitness with the full support of their team-mates, striving to make sure the club are in a healthy position for when they return.

Assistant head coach Martin Paterson said: "It does (give inspiration). One of the things Michael (Duff) has done early on is try to build a real team culture and ethos of the team being more important than any individual.

"We have done since the start of the season and there’s real signs of some early togetherness. I know the team-mates have rallied around the injured players and given them the early support that they needed.

"The best thing that they can do is get their head down and realise how lucky that they are to get on the grass every day - staff included - and go and get results."

After some significant injury problems in his playing days at the likes of Burnley and Huddersfield Town, Paterson has particular empathy with what the pair will be going through.

He added: "With Conor and Luke, it was sad news for the both of them and us as a team.

"But we dealt with that very quickly in terms of meeting with the players, talking to them and constant touch points.

"There will be constant touch points in their rehab in terms of how they are doing.

"Nobody knows more than me, in terms of being out injured and how hard that can be mentally. We will continue to take care of their well-being and then get them back onto the pitch safely.

"Unfortunately, this is part of the game and things like this are going to happen and it's about dealing with it very quickly and with empathy and not sympathy and then moving forward as a team and knowing we might have to hold the fort while those boys recover."