Sport

Keane's season is not over

Roy Keane will be fit to play in the European Cup final - should Manchester United get there - and will also be able to play …

By Michael Walker and Daniel Taylor
Fri Apr 12 2002 - 01:00

Roy Keane will be fit to play in the European Cup final - should Manchester United get there - and will also be able to play at the World Cup for the Republic of Ireland.

Keane, the United and Republic captain, pulled up sharply with a hamstring injury during the first half of United's first-leg Champions League quarter-final in La Coruna 10 days ago.

Allied to a long-standing knee complaint, it was feared initially that the injury would effectively end his season and deprive him of the chance to lead Ireland in Japan and Korea.

Keane is unlikely to be match-fit for another three weeks, but the European Cup final at Hampden Park is four-and-a-half weeks away. Keane began recuperative work on his hamstring as soon as he returned from Spain and there is satisfaction within the medical staff at Old Trafford that he is making good progress.

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A source close to the player said: "He'll play in Glasgow if they get there. He should be fit before then, but United will probably want to rest him if they think that the league is lost."

Alex Ferguson's injury problems were exacerbated yesterday with the news that Ronny Johnsen could also miss the final part of the season. Johnsen suffered a hamstring strain on Wednesday and the Norwegian defender has been ruled out for a month.

Juan Sebastian Veron is having further treatment on his recurrent Achilles problem after the injury forced him off in the same game.

With David Beckham joining Keane on the sidelines for the final few weeks of the domestic season, Veron will assume increasing importance for the club.

Meanwhile, Sunderland midfielder Claudio Reyna has been recalled to the United States squad for next week's friendly against the Republic of Ireland.

US: Friedel (Blackburn), Keller (Tottenham Hotspur); Agoos (San Jose Earthquakes), Berhalter (Crystal Palace), Pope (DC United), Regis (Metz), Hejduk (Bayer Leverkusen), Sanneh (Nurnberg), Armas (Chicago); Lewis (Fulham), Mathis (MetroStars), O'Brien (Ajax), Reyna (Sunderland), Stewart (NAC Breda); Donovan (San Jose Earthquakes), McBride (Columbus Crew), Moore (Everton), Wolff (Chicago).