Bamba blow for Bluebirds

Sol Bamba has been ruled out for the rest of the Premier League season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament, Cardiff City have confirmed.

Bamba sustained the knee injury during Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Wolves, which left the Bluebirds 18th in the table and two points adrift of safety.

Neil Warnock described Bamba as “slightly better” than Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk – the world’s most expensive defender – earlier in the campaign.

And the Cardiff boss accepted Bamba’s diagnosis is a dent in his side’s hopes of avoiding relegation from the Premier League.

“Unfortunately, our biggest fears have been confirmed regarding the injury Sol suffered at Wolves on Saturday,” Warnock told Cardiff’s club website.

“Scans have shown that Sol has ruptured his ACL; he will have an operation on Wednesday and therefore miss the rest of the season.

“It is a major blow to the squad but I know all of our supporters will join me in wishing him the very best during his recovery.”

Bamba has started 28 out of 29 Premier League matches this season, scoring four goals.

Cardiff will seek to arrest a run of three consecutive league defeats when they host West Ham on Saturday.