Dunne ‘out for month’, says McLeish

Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni and Aston Villa counterpart Alex McLeish face an anxious wait for news on Richard Dunne’s shoulder injury after early medical reports indicated the defender faces at least a month on the sidelines.

Dunne was forced off the field in the dying moments of Villa’s 1-0 defeat to former club Manchester City following an aerial collision with Joe Hart when he attacked a ball into the box during a frantic finale at Villa Park as McLeish’s side pushed for an equaliser.

And, in what is sure to cause concern for Trapattoni with Dunne a key part of his plans for Euro 2012, McLeish admitted the early signs are not good for the centre-back.

He said: “I believe he will be out for at least a month, that’s serious enough. He’s definitely damaged his shoulder which is part of the bad luck we’ve been having recently.

“We have had a specialist looking at him. I don’t know what’s going to happen with him or what they would do if it’s dislocated. I can’t give a definitive answer right now.”

Dunne is not the only Irish casualty on Villa’s books after Ciaran Clark missed yesterday’s match with a knee ligament problem.

“In training on Saturday he caught his studs in the turf and he’s tweaked a knee ligament,” McLeish added. “We will lose him for a few weeks.”

Meanwhile, Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini insists he will be willing to shake Carlos Tevez’s hand and move on from his self-imposed exile — if the striker apologises to him.

The Argentina star has not played for City since he refused to warm up during the Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich in September but is expected back in England tomorrow.

Mancini said: “I think it is a bad moment to talk about shaking hands, but yes. I always forgive people,every time.”

Mancini had initially vowed Tevez would never play for the club again.