Young Blackpool striker Tom Barkhuizen has been ruled out for at least six weeks because of a fractured and dislocated collarbone.
The 20-year-old suffered the injury during Saturday's defeat at Middlesbrough and will now undergo surgery.
"They've said it's fractured in three places and it's dislocated as well. It's not a good one but I've just got to get on with it now," Barkhuizen told the club's official website.
"Originally it could have been season over, but the fact that I'll be back around the middle of March has made me feel a lot better."
Blackpool began the season challenging for a place at the top of the Championship, but they have lost seven of their last eight matches and not won since November to plummet into the bottom half of the table.
