Erol Bulut is hoping Kion Etete has not suffered a serious injury after the striker joined Cardiff City’s list of fitness concerns.
Etete, Cardiff’s five-goal leading scorer, came off in the second half of Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough.
The Bluebirds are already without a number of players including Aaron Ramsey and Yakou Meite.
“Etete got a hamstring injury. He feels pain. I hope it’s nothing serious,” said Cardiff boss Bulut.
Cardiff will host Watford on Saturday looking to bounce back after the Middlesbrough defeat, where they were short on attacking inspiration as their four-game Championship winning streak came to an end.
Etete, 21, has made a bright start to the season, scoring in league wins over Coventry City and Rotherham United as well as in three Carabao Cup ties.
Cardiff were already without attacking midfielder Ramsey, who has a knee problem, though Bulut said after the Middlesbrough game he hopes the Wales captain will not need an operation.
Ex-Reading forward Meite was also missing at the Riverside having come off during last Saturday’s victory over Rotherham clutching his hamstring, while Jamilu Collins was another left out of the Boro trip thanks to knee and hamstring issues.
Callum O’Dowda and summer recruit Josh Bowler have been out of action since August.