A groin injury sustained in training threatens to rule Robbie Keane out of Saturday’s Euro 2012 qualifier with Macedonia.
The Irish captain hurt his groin following a tackle from Damien Delaney in training in Malahide this morning and is a major doubt for the clash in Skopje, opening the door for a potentially dangerous (and hilarious sounding) Long-Cox strike partnership.
It’s an untried combination but both players can be relied upon to provide penetration against a dodgy looking Macedonian rearguard.
It seems as if newly-declared Irish international Cox was set to start ahead of Long in any case, if the teams that lined up in training for a practise match earlier today are anything to go by.
In what would appear to be the starting XI, the West Brom striker started up front with Keane, ahead of a midfield four of Aiden McGeady, Glenn Whelan, Keith Andrews and Stephen Hunt and a back four of Stephen Kelly, John O’Shea, Darren O’Dea and Kevin Kilbane.
Many will query the preference for Cox over Long in the Irish attack, given the impact the Reading man has had for both club and country this season, but it would appear as if Trap just likes Cox.
Joe Murphy started in goals for that selection, but it seems highly unlikely that he will get the nod ahead of 112-cap Shay Given between the sticks.
Despite the injury, Keane is set to travel to Macedonia with the rest of the squad and a decision on his participation in the game is likely to be delayed until close to kick off on Saturday evening.
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