Jon Walters fitness a cause for concern

Martin O’Neill has a fresh injury concern with the news that Jon Walters is to undergo knee surgery.

Although the procedure has been described as “minor” — and despite Stoke City manager Mark Hughes saying that the player would be merely sidelined for “a little bit” — there is bound to be concern about the 33-year-old recovering in time to be match fit for Ireland’s much anticipated World Cup qualifier against Wales at the Aviva Stadium on March 24.

Walters’ knee swelled up after he scored Stoke’s only goal in their 4-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield just after Christmas and the decision has now been made that the striker will go under the knife in a bid to rectify the problem.