With Ireland's World Cup qualifier against Denmark drawing ever closer, Martin O'Neill will be increasingly anxious regarding the well-being of his players.
David Meyler is already a confirmed absence for the first leg in Copenhagen - a miss-timed tackle in the closing stages of Ireland's 1-0 victory against Wales earned him a disappointing suspension.
While the promise of a rejuvenated, fully-fit James McCarthy had seemed possible after he started for Everton in this week's League Cup clash against Chelsea, it would now appear that yet another injury will stifle McCarthy's career further still.
Having not featured for Ireland in over a year at this stage, it has been announced that a hamstring injury sustained in training with Everton will almost certainly rule McCarthy out of next month's playoffs.
With reports of McCarthy's availability unconfirmed before Everton's 2-0 defeat to Leicester City this afternoon, his absence from David Unsworth's squad was telling.
Just spoke to David Unsworth about James McCarthy’s latest injury. Says he’ll talk to Martin O’Neill about “what’s best for club & player.”
— Conor McNamara (@ConorMcNamaraIE) October 29, 2017
Unsworth says McCarthy’s injury is “nothing too severe... had a scan, he’s out for a couple of weeks”.
Ireland’s play-off is in 2 weeks.— Conor McNamara (@ConorMcNamaraIE) October 29, 2017
In what will undoubtedly be a blow for O'Neill in his preparations, one suspects that the already fractious relationship between both the Ireland and Everton set-ups may not be aided after this latest setback.
