Pilkington’s Ireland bow halted by injury again

Giovanni Trapattoni’s plans to give Anthony Pilkington his long-awaited debut against England at Wembley tomorrow week have been thwarted by injury.

Having played the final Premier League games of the season while nursing inflammation of the knee, the Norwich man has now been ruled out of Ireland’s end of season games under the advice of the club’s medical team, according to the FAI. In a statement, the association added that the player would undergo treatment on his knee over the coming weeks in preparation for next season.

The news will come as a particularly disappointing blow to Trapattoni who, at his recent squad announcement, spoke highly of Pilkington’s goal-scoring threat and made clear his intention to start the winger against England in the glamour friendly at Wembley on May 29.