DANNY Murphy was today ruled out of the World Cup.
Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson Eriksson, with further midfield worries over David Beckham, Nicky Butt, and Kieron Dyer, is now set to recall Trevor Sinclair a day after he landed back in England.
However, some reports suggest Blackburn's David Dunn, who played in the England Under 21 team in the European Championships in Switzerland, could also be called up.
Liverpool midfielder Murphy was confirmed to have fractured the second metatarsal bone of his left foot during a scan today. It is the same foot injury as the one Beckham is recovering from.
Meanwhile, Roy Keane flew home in disgrace from the Republic of Ireland's training camp after being sacked by manager Mick McCarthy.
Here is what the papers were saying this morning:
THE SUN: Irish players applauded and cheered Mick McCarthy's decision to boot Roy Keane out of the World Cup.
DAILY MIRROR: Mick McCarthy believes Roy Keane did not want to play in the World Cup and engineered the row that led to him being sent home yesterday.
DAILY MAIL: Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern was yesterday making a last-minute plea for a solution to the row which has led to the sacking of Roy Keane as the Republic's World Cup skipper.
DAILY EXPRESS: Roy Keane's international career was blown apart after boss Mick McCarthy reacted to his captain's latest outburst by telling Irish bosses: "Either he goes or I'm on the next plane home."
DAILY STAR: Roy Keane was kicked out of the World Cup after launching a four-letter tirade of abuse at Republic boss Mick McCarthy.
THE TIMES: When Roy Keane announced his intention to retire from international football immediately after the World Cup finals, he did it in a fashion that imitated his playing style: studs up.
THE INDEPENDENT: Roy Keane's first encounter with international football ended with him being sent home from an Under-15 trial for being too small. Yesterday, in what seems the final episode of his Ireland career, the Republic's captain was sent home from the World Cup for being arguably too big.
THE GUARDIAN: Roy Keane's international career appeared to have reached an acrimonious and suitably explosive end last night as the Republic of Ireland midfielder was ordered home in disgrace by his manager Mick McCarthy.
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Republic of Ireland last night closed ranks around manager Mick McCarthy after he sent captain Roy Keane home from their World Cup training camp here for being a "disruptive influence".
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