Queens Park Rangers midfielder Gary O’Neil has suffered dental trauma after a stray elbow from Wigan player Shaun Maloney caught him in the mouth during a particularly aggressive tackle. The two players clashed during the opening minutes of the Championship play-off semi-final on Monday night at Lotus Road.
O’Neil’s tooth came flying out of the socket after the impact and the instance was captured on camera; the midfielder subsequently crumpled to the ground in pain. The 30-year-old was taken off the field for treatment and he was pictured gesturing to his mouth as the physicians made their way onto the pitch to help him out.
Despite his injury, O’Neil managed to get back on his feet and play the rest of the first half with cotton wool in his mouth to soak up the blood. The team went on to secure victory over Wigan and a place in the Championship final at Wembley, so the midfielder still had something to smile about. Harry Redknapp’s side even managed to come from behind to win, with a goal in extra time to achieve a 2-1 victory. Seeing the funny side of the situation, O’Neil posted a picture of the empty socket on social networking site Twitter and added the caption ‘All things worthwhile come at a price!!!’