Staunton's lengthy injury list increases

Steve Staunton's lengthy injury list increased last night.  Both Steven Reid and Stephen Carr took knocks during the heavy defeat to Holland at Lansdowne Road and the pair face uphill battles to be fit for Germany in a fortnight.

Reid, who was stand-in captain on the night for sidelined Robbie Keane, has an ankle injury while Carr - who was returning from international retirement - is struggling with a hamstring problem.

"Stephen Reid took a crack on his ankle early in the game, and then went over on it late in the first half, while Stephen Carr has a hamstring problem," Staunton confirmed.

Carr's injury is said to be the more serious of the two and the Newcastle man is unlikely to be fit for Stuttgart.  Of course, both players could yet bounce back but Reid is the more likely to feature.

"We won't know how they are for another 24 to 48 hours until their injuries settle down," said Staunton.  "We'll have some idea after that, but they're another two to add to the growing list."

Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder chartered a 10-seater plane to ensure Carr and Alan O'Brien made a swift return to the north-east of England from Dublin.

The move was designed to get both players out training this morning ahead of Saturday's opening Premiership game against Wigan but now Carr will only see the treatment table.

Keane, Damien Duff, Shay Given, Richard Dunne, Ian Harte, Stephen Ireland, Alan Lee and Terry Dixon all missed last night's humiliating 4-0 defeat because of injury and Staunton will be sweating on their fitness over the coming days.