Miller blow for Black Cats

Midfielder injures calf on international duty

By Lewis Rutledge   Last updated: 7th February 2008

miller liam

Miller: Calf problem

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Sunderland midfielder Liam Miller is set to be sidelined for three weeks with a calf strain.

Miller picked up the injury in Republic of Ireland's 1-0 defeat to Brazil at Croke Park on Wednesday and was replaced at half-time.

He admits he was disappointed not to be able to complete the 90 minutes, but is looking to recover as quickly as possible.

"It is a calf injury. The physio said that hopefully it wasn't too bad, but I am looking at three weeks out, something like that," Miller confirmed in the Sunderland Echo.

"I will see the Sunderland physio in the morning, and he will assess it.

"I thought the match was going OK. Obviously I would have liked to have played the second half, but that is sometimes what happens.

"Obviously I am very unhappy with the injury. I thought it was going OK for me, and I was hoping the longer the game went on, the better I would get."

Miller could now miss Sunderland's next two Premier League matches against Wigan and Portsmouth, before making a possible return at Derby on 1st March.

News of his injury will come as a major blow to Roy Keane, who is already without Dwight Yorke, Grant Leadbitter, Kieran Richardson and Andy Reid.

Dean Whitehead and Dickson Etuhu are the only two fit central midfielders for this weekend's clash with Wigan.