Dunne's injury lay off

Richard Dunne is facing a month-long spell on the side line after injuring his shoulder in Aston Villa’s Premier League defeat to Manchester City on Sunday.

The Republic of Ireland defender landed awkwardly following an aerial collision and while he is still undergoing medical assessment, Villa boss Alex McLeish admitted the prognosis did not look good.  McLeish revealed after the game Dunne could be out for up to a month.

On Friday, Dunne was named in Giovanni Trapattoni’s 24 man squad for Ireland’s friendly with the Czech Republic but with that game taking place on the 29^th of February, the former Manchester City man is almost certain to miss out.

Speaking after the game, McLeish said: “We have a specialist looking at him now.  I do believe he will be out for at least a month. That’s serious enough.”

"It doesn't look good and he doesn't look too comfortable."

Dunne played ten games in the Republic’s successful qualifying campaign and scored one goal.

Earlier in the week, Dunne’s compatriot and fellow Aston Villa defender Ciaran Clark damaged ligaments in his knee and also faces several weeks out injured, hampering any chance he had of forcing his way into Trapattoni’s final 23 man squad for this summer’s European Championships which kick off on June 8^th.