SEAN ST LEDGER faces a race against the clock to be fit for Ireland’s crucial World Cup qualifiers next month.
Giovanni Trapattoni will have to plan without the centre-half for the games against Sweden and Austria unless he recovers from a knee injury quicker than expected.
St Ledger pulled up in training ahead Leicester’s goalless draw with Leeds on Sunday and is expected to miss up to six weeks.
Foxes bosses Nigel Pearson is hopeful that St Ledger could be back in action within “three or four” weeks, but that timeframe would still leave him in doubt for Ireland’s clash with Sweden on 6 September and the trip to Vienna four days later.
“It happens and it’s unfortunate, but historically he’s been a pretty quick healer, so six weeks is probably being a bit pessimistic,” Pearson told LCFC.com.
“It might be three or four [weeks], but it will be what it will be. You can’t do a lot about contact injuries. I’d be annoyed if it was something avoidable, but you can’t do much about things like that.
“It’s not ideal and it’s disappointing for Ledge, but that’s football.”