Martin O’Neill: Darron Gibson injury saga ‘worrying’

Martin O’Neill has expressed concern about the psychological impact on Darron Gibson of the injury problems which have sidelined him for much of the last two years.

The Ireland manager was speaking after the Everton midfielder was yesterday banned from driving, ordered to pay compensation and sentenced to 200 hours of community service for a drink-driving offence near his home in Bowden, Cheshire on August 16, in which, after his car hit a cyclist. The Derryman drove off before pulling into a filling station, colliding with a petrol pump.

Although Gibson is not in O’Neill’s current squad, the manager said he would speak to him about the drink-driving conviction.