Duff's return delayed after fresh setback

Roy Keane's knee injury, which is likely to keep him out of this morning's Premiership clash with Leeds United, is only one of Mick McCarthy's concerns ahead of next month's World Cup play-offs. As McCarthy spends the weekend in Dubai ahead of next Wednesday's second meeting between Iran and the United Arab Emirates, the news for the Republic of Ireland manager about his squad's state of fitness isn't particularly good.

With Kevin Kilbane already believed to be doubtful due to an ankle problem, Niall Quinn faces a late fitness test on an ankle problem, picked up during this week's defeat by Middlesbrough.

And there was disappointing news too from Blackburn yesterday, where it had been expected that Damien Duff, sidelined since limping out of the game against Everton on September 22nd, might play some part in Monday night's televised game with Leicester.

The midfielder has now been ruled out of the game due to his ongoing hamstring problem, although assistant manager Tony Parkes insisted that the club is hopeful that the Dubliner is getting close to making a return to action.

"Damien is still not ready and he continues to be worried by a slight hamstring problem," he said. "We don't want to take chances on his fitness because there is still a long way to go this season.

"We are really looking for him to be fit for our next game," but, he warned, "if he isn't, we will then have to take things from there and look at the situation with the Republic of Ireland's World Cup play-off."

Iran coach Miroslav Balzevic, meanwhile, has lavished his side with praise in the wake of Thursday's 1-0 defeat of the UAE.

"The Iranian team showed that it is among the top teams in the world," said Blazevic. "Anyone who is not admitting this fact is either blind, doesn't know anything about football, or is trying to destroy us. Obviously we had to score more goals, but we were too excited."

Israel's hopes of reaching the play-offs for a place in the finals remain high ahead of today's controversial qualifier with Austria in Tel Aviv.