Ben Blake reports from Turner’s Cross in Cork
IRELAND CAPTAIN ROBBIE Keane has emerged as a serious doubt for Euro 2016.
The country’s all-time record caps holder and goalscorer is no longer first choice for the Boys in Green but was expected to be named in Martin O’Neill’s 23-man squad tomorrow night.
However, 35-year-old Keane, who was an unused substitute in Friday’s 1-1 with the Netherlands at the Aviva Stadium, picked up a calf injury on Saturday.
The team trained at Turner’s Cross this afternoon ahead of their final warm-up game against Belarus on Tuesday and LA Galaxy striker sat in the stands after receiving an injection.
O’Neill confirmed that Keane will play no part in that match and he is now in danger of missing the European championships.
“We did some training on Saturday morning and he felt his calf at the end of training so we’re just taking it on a daily basis,” O’Neill said at the home of Cork City.
“He won’t play tomorrow night in the game. I don’t think it’s worth risking that, but he’s a quick healer so we’ll see how it goes.
“For the most part, you don’t mind taking a risk with one or two but you don’t want to be going in with a host of players where fitness is a concern. That wouldn’t be good to anyone.
“He’s the captain of the side and he has been playing since he picked up an injury about six or seven weeks ago, and he is also a pretty quick healer.”
O’Neill added that he will have a better idea of Keane’s chances in 24 hours and the Derryman has also confirmed that Kevin Doyle is on standby.
Doyle was due to link up with the squad after lining out for the Colorado Rapids over the weekend but O’Neill instead decided to tell him not to travel.
“Kevin hasn’t arrived in the door at the moment,” he added. “I spoke to him at the weekend and said he’s on standby. At least he got the game at the weekend which is a good thing. Daryl Murphy has to play here in a game to prove his fitness as he hasn’t played in a little while.
Kevin is there on standby but who knows? Depending on what happens tomorrow night he could easily be called into the squad.”
Meanwhile, James McCarthy trained separately as he attempts to regain full fitness, while Harry Arter will go for a scan after pulling up with a thigh problem today.
“James did a little bit on his own today with Dan our fitness man,” explained O’Neill. “The reports are he is feeling a wee bit better from a couple of days before.
“It’s one of those things that we will have to look at on a daily basis. I say on a daily basis but we don’t really have that many days left. “I think there is optimism around, I’m hoping that’s the case.
“Just before you came in, he (Arter) just came off with a thigh injury. That’s quite new and I don’t know what the situation is there. He will get scanned on that very shortly and Alan our doctor will let us know.”
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There will be no easy games for Liverpool until we have a new goalkeeper and 2 solid central defenders. Until that is addressed we will struggle to win any game
We?
Yea Philip, he is they new Liverpool striker. After all the transfer speculation with Lewandovski, Pato, Shane Long thay have decided to go with Tom instead.
Is he better any good?
transfer speculation with Lewandovski, ha that has to be a joke right?
It’s called being a supporter
Liverpools defence is an absolute shambles
Naismith is such a horrible chap.
Speak of his style of play rather than him as a person Ron.
He’s a tough bit of stuff though, has made it the hard way from the Scottish highlands and he’s supposed to be very charitable
Boring enough game I’d say. Can see Liverpool sneaking it 1-0. Now that i have said that expect a 4-4 cracker.
Its on. Lol
You could be right here
I really hope you put 1000 on that
Well Gravy?
Lotto number please!!!
Feck Liverpool. The messed it up.
You were way off!!!
Oh god, hope you did not now….
See on Twitter a Liverpool fan had A Tenner at 100/1 for a 4-4. Didn’t cash out. Ouch. I would be sick.
Jeez what just happened there. Delighted with the win but seriously. Conceding 4 goals. Madness
A goal and an assist for Hoolahan so far. Good stuff.
Liverpool are shit.
Fair play you’ve taken the blinkers off
Crawl back under your rock waster
let sterling go he’s useless they said sure ibe is far better they said.
Ah good day to you mr dunne
I here Moreno getting a five year contract extension too
how ya jack
Well one positive of Liverpool is we get to hear from Paul and Nucky
Better now it’s 4-3 Paul
very exciting stuff between 2 dreadful teams who can’t defend.
christ jack the Liverpool players and management will have a wank on the pitch if they start winning on a regular basis ridiculous carryon at the end.
Paul, you’re a tw@.
ah come on bull the carryon at the end was ridiculous you would think they beat Barcelona not a Norwich team who are heading into a scrap to survive with a winner last kick of the game.
Paul if Liverpool donated all their profits to starving kids in Africa you’d still criticise them for it. Carry on but don’t expect anyone to take you seriously.
that would be a fantastic act if that happened ron and I would be the first to applaud the club now getting back to reality the carryon at the end was ridiculous and embarrassing.
Wow!!!!!! Unbelievable jeff
But Firminho finally looking the part…
Maybe a hat trick for him? Take over from Suarez as the Norwich boogeyman.
Firmino starting to show his worth a bit here. The defending by both sides though, Jesus Christ what can ye say
This is one of the most bizzare games I’ve seen this season
Liverpool will definitely lose this game. Norwich are not easily beat ah home and there’s no way Liverpool can do it with the way they’ve been playing. Its just not gonna happen Liverpool fans.
How’d that work out for you? :)
As a Liverpool fan it worked out quite well… I’ve used the same tactic when united play to jinx them so I thought I would use it for good.
Jesus Brady is having a shocking game
Those in-swinging corners are a thing of beauty though…
His positional sense is horrible. Would rather have a left back that can actually defend
Hoolahan is playing well though.
Even better now.
I thought klopp was the messiah ?
I’m delighted come on Norwich. Naismith was money well spent
Well they’re after coming back into the game so credit were credit is due but I’d still be concerned about the amount of goals Liverpool are conceding plus people are saying their goalkeeper is terrible but klopp gave him a new contract ?
Scorpion, you can expect this stuff for the rest of the season from Pool….. Klopp will make his changes in the summer, let these players play for there Liverpool career…. Will be a tough few years maybe….
Firminho is a huge talent and can be a massive player for years to come. Unfortunately same problems that existed under Rodgers are still there. Goalkeeper and defence are all over the place and klopp’s number one priority has to be it. I suppose the good thing about today is the win.
Beating Norwich is fine, concede 3 goals again though……
It’s not that difficult journal. You update the scorers at the top but the score still says 2-1. Lazy. So annoying
Cracker of a game to be fair. I suppose that’s what you get when you have two really poor defences.
Butland ,Ash Williams , Subotic and Defoe would do for this transfer window and make top 4 a bit realistic
So would messi Ronaldo and George best…
Defoe? R u having a giggle m8!? The lad is about 34
Ahhhh the days of saying are “R u having a giggle m8″ to my friends. Good times, being 11 was great
Top 4 is not realistic at all in my opinion.
Subotic?another one stuck in the treatment room,5th choice centre back for Dortmund at the moment
He maybe injured but at least would put pressure on those there knowing as soon as he is fit that he would def fall in beside Williams. Both a good asset to any team Butland is a no brainer and Defoe will score no matter where he goes . Even if only until the summer . Just need reinforcements immediately
Sakho was are best player last week ? He’s gettin better under Klopp. We need a goal scorer first off
Coz Sakho looks like a giraffe on ice people assume he’s poor but his passing is class and he’s very quick to cover ground
Would love to say easy victory 0-3 but sitting on the fence 0-0 or 1-1… Benny needs to get his act together …
Well that sums up Liverpools defence, or lack off…..
Norwich defence is very fragile. Should still win this. Playing a very poor side.
A poor side that has already scored three
Against an awful side.
Liverpool will struggle to make top 10, Klopp will experiment for the rest of the season…. You can see that here.
Looks like Norwich pulled a Stevie G…
Robbie brady a disaster ,as are Norwich heading a ball back across his goal useless!
Is Klopp still annoyed about the time added on?
How many times has McManaman said “free as a bird”?
Good start from Liverpool
Doesn’t matter how you start. It’s how you finish that counts.
Well they have started to finish well
And a good finish
Liverpool finished well then