There’s no way to sugercoat it: New York City suffered a big blow on Saturday.
Even though they are a lock to make the playoffs in the East, NYCFC will have to deal with a huge absence as they try to clinch their playoff berth. It won’t be an absence that could hurt their chances to qualify, but it could ultimately affect their playoff positioning.
NYCFC announced on Monday that Lampard suffered a calf injury and is expected to miss 3-4 weeks. The 38-year-old suffered the injury against FC Dallas on Saturday. The club announced this calf injury is different than the one that kept him out to start the 2016 season.
Lampard has been key for NYCFC’s surge over the past few months. The former Chelsea star has scored 12 goals with one assist in 18 appearances this season. He has built an impressive rapport with David Villa and Jack Harrison, and New York will undoubtedly miss him.
NYCFC is still likely to reach the playoffs, with or without Lampard. They sit third in the East and have four games remaining on the schedule. Not having Lampard for the final stretch could have an impact on whether NY finishes in the top or near the bottom of the playoff group. As you might remember, New York was a middle-of-the-pack team early on, but they’ve been one of the best teams in MLS since Lampard returned from injury.
The injury won’t go away any time soon, so the only thing the New York fans can do is pray. They should make a deep playoff run, but for that to happen they need Lampard at his best.