World Cup 2022: No new injury for Wales' Joe Allen - Swans boss Russell Martin
- Published
Joe Allen was treated by Wales' medical staff before being withdrawn in the 81st minute of the defeat to England
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Swansea City head coach Russell Martin says Joe Allen did not suffer a fresh hamstring injury in Wales' World Cup defeat to England.
Allen came off in Tuesday's 3-0 Group B loss after being treated on the pitch.
But Martin expects midfielder Allen, 32, to be in contention when Swansea return to action against Norwich City on Saturday, 10 December.
"I watched him with immense pride last night and I am really pleased he came through it unscathed," Martin said.
"He is fine. He is very tired - he probably played a bit longer than he would have liked to, we would have liked him to - but he has come through it and that's the big positive for us.
"He will come back to us next week I think really ready to kick on."
The England game was Allen's first start since he injured a hamstring playing for Swansea against Hull City on 13 September, though he did feature as a substitute in Wales' World Cup loss to Iran.
Martin admitted earlier this month that Swansea's treatment of the former Liverpool player's injury "wasn't good enough".
For a long time there were doubts over whether Allen, one of Wales' key men in recent years, would play any part in Qatar.
Martin says that despite frustration over Wales' performances in the tournament, Allen should savour what he has achieved.
"I spoke to Joe last night," the ex-Scotland defender said. "He is very disappointed at how it ended, but I said to him 'you will look back on it with immense pride'.
"He has done something I was never able to do, played for his country at a World Cup - something millions and millions of people would dream of.
"Although Wales will be disappointed with how it went, to maintain perspective and to look back on it, I think what they have achieved as a group is incredible really.
"He has played such a big part in that."
Fitness issues have limited Allen to only nine Swansea appearances since he re-joined his boyhood club last summer.
But Martin says Allen will return to club duty next week "in a really good place".
"He is going to really help us, on the pitch and off the pitch.
"We have missed him. There are some draws recently we would have won if he had been playing, a couple of goals we have conceded that we would have avoided if he had been on the pitch."
Martin's Swansea squad are on a training camp in Scotland. After a 2-1 friendly win over Heart of Midlothian on Tuesday, they face Dundee United this Saturday before returning to Wales.
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