Text e: Sports
Muamba, who became engaged to girlfriend Shauna Magunda on Valentine’s Day, has been in intensive care at the London Chest Hospital since being admitted on Saturday evening after suffering a cardiac arrest in the 41st-minute of the sixth-round game at White Hart Lane, which was abandoned by referee Howard Webb.
The 23 year-old’s plight has prompted a huge reaction across the global football community and Shauna issued her plea for continued prayers through her Twitter account on Sunday night: “Please keep praying for @fmuamba its really helping I can feel it xx.”
The call was echoed by former Bolton captain Gary Cahill, who displayed a “Pray 4 Muamba” T-shirt after scoring in Chelsea's FA Cup win against Leicester City on Sunday.
Real Madrid players last night wore shirts before their Spanish League match wishing Muamba well.
Bolton’s Premier League fixture against Aston Villa at Villa Park, which was scheduled for Tuesday, has been postponed and although a withdrawal from the FA Cup was considered by senior figures at Bolton in the immediate aftermath of the incident, it is understood such a move is not on the agenda at the Reebok, despite the potential difficulties – emotional and logistically – of restaging the Spurs tie later this month.
Referee Webb was stood down from his role as a fourth official at Sunday’s Premier League encounter between Wolves and Manchester United following consultations with a psychologist who advises the referees’ body, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited.
Bolton manager Owen Coyle, who remained at Muamba’s bedside with club chairman Phil Gartside for lengthy periods on Sunday, insisted that the postponement of the Villa game was a necessity.
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