Cambridge United attacker Elias Kachunga set for spell on sidelines with hamstring injury suffered against Crawley Town

Cambridge United will be without Elias Kachunga for ‘a period of time’ due to a hamstring injury.

The attacker suffered the complaint after coming on as a second-half substitute during last weekend’s 1-0 home defeat to Crawley Town.

And a subsequent scan has revealed that the 32-year-old could now be sidelined for as long as five weeks.

“He felt his hamstring in the game literally a few minutes after coming on, which is a shame,” said United head coach Garry Monk

“He’s had a scan and he’ll be out for a period of time – somewhere between two and five weeks, depending on how the first part of his recovery goes.

“That’s a blow for us and something we can’t really afford at this moment in time.”

As well as Kachunga and fellow absentees Jordan Cousins, Gary Gardner and Ryan Loft, the U’s could also be without Taylor Richards for this weekend’s visit of Blackpool.

The Queens Park Rangers loanee, who has made two Sky Bet League One appearances off the bench this term, is nursing an ‘old injury’.

Monk added: “Taylor has been carrying an old injury from before coming in here so we’re just monitoring and trying to manage that.

“He’s seeing the consultant about the best way to manage it. He’s fit but not fully fit so we’re trying to work out the best way to get him back to full fitness.”