Prayers for Muamba after cardiac arrest

The fiancée of Premier League footballer Fabrice Muamba has asked for prayers following the midfielder’s cardiac arrest on Saturday night.

The 23-year-old Bolton Wanderers player is in critical condition after collapsing during the side’s FA Cup quarter-final at Tottenham.

A joint statement from Bolton, Barts and The NHS Trust said Muamba’s heart condition was “stable”. However he “remains critically ill in intensive care” at The London Chest Hospital.

Shauna Magunda, who became engaged to Muamba on Valentine’s Day, sent out a message on her Twitter account last night asking for prayer.

“Please keep praying for @fmuamba its really helping I can feel it xx,” she tweeted.

Former Bolton captain Gary Cahill issued a similar call when he lifted up his shirt after scoring in Chelsea’s FA Cup win against Leicester City on Sunday to reveal a T-shirt displaying the words “Pray 4 Muamba”.

Bolton manager Owen Coyle and club chairman Phil Gartside joined family members at Muamba’s bedside yesterday.

Coyle said the support shown to Fabrice had been “nothing short of outstanding”.

“It is such a difficult and emotional time for Fabrice’s family and our thoughts and prayers are with them,” he said.

“It is important we stay strong. Bolton Wanderers is a family club and the response over the last day or so completely ties up with that.

He added: “Everybody is praying for Fabrice, which is very important, and that has become a real source of strength to the family. We certainly hope he comes through this.”