Ireland's season ended by injury

Ireland has been restricted to just two appearances due to injury Newcastle United have confirmed midfielder Stephen Ireland will miss the remainder of the Premier League season with an ankle injury.

The 24-year-old has made only two substitute appearances since his January loan move from Aston Villa.

Ireland, a former Republic of Ireland international, arrived at St James' Park with a knee injury that delayed his debut for the club.

He then suffered a thigh injury on his return to training in March.

Since joining Aston Villa as part of the undisclosed deal that saw James Milner move to Manchester City in August, Ireland has endured a difficult campaign punctuated by loss of form and injury.

His debut for Villa, coincidentally a 6-0 defeat by Newcastle in August, was one of only 12 outings under then-boss Kevin MacDonald and his successor Gerard Houllier, five of which came as a substitute.

Continue reading the main story Manchester City: 2005-2010 - 276 games, 23 goalsAston Villa: 2010-present - 14 games, 0 goalsNewcastle United: 2010 (Loan) - 2 games, 0 goals

Houllier had initially insisted the Cork-born player would remain at Villa Park after the January transfer window, but then changed his mind when Ireland requested to leave the Midlands in December.

Newcastle were successful in completing a deal until the end of current campaign during the January transfer window, despite concerns regarding his fitness.

However injuries continued to plague Ireland, who was also forced to apologise for being photographed at a nightclub the evening before March's 4-0 defeat by Stoke City.

His recent substitute appearances suggested the playmaker could make an impression on Tyneside, but this latest setback could have ended hopes of a permanent move to Newcastle during the summer.

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Arsenal Striker To Make Decision On Future At End Of The Season

Emirates star is only concentrating on overhauling Old Trafford club.

Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner will make a decision on his future in North London at the end of the season.

The 23-year-old is frustrated over a lack of first-team opportunities with 11 of his 14 appearances in the Premier League coming from the bench.

The Denmark international has constantly bemoaned the fact he should be a regular in the Gunners line up but his claims have gone unanswered.

But he will leave any decision until the summer as he is fully concentrated on overhauling Manchester United’s seven point lead at the top of the table.

Arsenal have six games remaining and travel to neighbours Tottenham Hotspur tonight.

Bendtner understands why he has not had more starts this season but believes he deserves more chances.

“It is incredibly frustrating not being seen as a first-team player, but there is not much I can do about it,” Bendtner told Ekstra Bladet.

“I have proven that I am good enough to play from the start at Arsenal.

“[Robin] van Persie is ahead of me at the moment and there is nothing to say about that because he has scored 16 goals since New Year.”

“After this season I will decide on my future, but not before.”

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Liverpool Goalkeeper Drops Biggest Hint Yet He Will Still Be At The Club Next Season

Anfield hero is making plans for next year on Merseyside.

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has dropped the biggest hint he is staying at the club yet as he outlines plans for next season.

The 28-year-old has been linked with a move away from Anfield for some time and was the subject of a failed bid from Arsenal last summer.

Arch-rivals Manchester United have also shown interest in the Spain international as a replacement for Edwin Van Der Sar.

Reina has always declared his love for the club but wants the board to show ambition  especially after the departure of Fernando Torres to Chelsea.

Liverpool had the worst start in Premeir League history this year under Roy Hodgson but fortunes on the pitch have turned around following the appointment of Kenny Dalglish.

But Reina says the club cannot afford another start like they had next year if they want to win a trophy.

“We didn’t start this season, or last, the best – and next time we need to make sure that doesn’t happen,” he told LFC Weekly.

“We need to be consistent with the aggression, commitment – everything. And if we get the balance right, we’ll be a lot closer to where we want to be.”

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Saha set to miss rest of season

David Moyes has confirmed Everton striker Louis Saha is set to miss the rest of the season through injury.

Saha suffered an ankle injury during the 2-1 victory over Fulham last month and has since undergone surgery on the problem.

The striker had scored nine goals already in 2011, and his injury now leaves Everton with a shortage of strikers and means a heavy reliance on Jermaine Beckford for the final weeks of the season.

Everton are also suffering from injuries in midfield and defence, with Mikel Arteta and Marouane Fellaini certain to miss Saturday's game at home to Aston Villa on Saturday and Jack Rodwell, Seamus Coleman and Tim Cahill all doubtful.

"We have got a lot of injuries," Moyes said. "Louis has had an operation this week which will probably rule him out for the season.

"It is football, isn't it? You pick up injuries and we try not to talk too much about them but we have a spate of them at this present time.

"Mikel has been away in Spain for a few weeks, recuperating and recovering from his hamstring problem. He is due back over the weekend and we will see how he is."

Moyes believes international friendlies, such as England's game against Ghana on Tuesday, are contributing to clubs' injury problems.

"To have a friendly at this stage of the season is difficult," he said. "I understand why the national teams want them but we are into the last six or seven weeks of the season and you can see the amount of injuries players are having, probably on the back of the World Cup and other international tournaments.

"I think that is why you are probably seeing so many injuries if you look around the Premier League. People are probably not getting to see the best players right now because the football is taking its toll on them.

"They are all involved in so much football and they need a break."

He added: "I do take a lot of pride because I want them to be selected for their country, but I am beginning to doubt if that is what I want.

"I am just beginning to look and say, 'Is it worth it?'. We have lost quite a few players. They don't pay the players' wages - we have to."

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Saha - Season is over

The Frenchman damaged his ankle during the Toffees' 2-1 victory over former employers Fulham on Saturday, forcing him to be stretchered from the field. It was hoped that the problem was not as bad as first feared, allowing Saha to return to the first-team fold in the near future.

However, it now appears that the 32-year-old will be sidelined until at least the summer. Saha has admitted as much, revealing that he is not expecting to feature again until the 2011/12 campaign gets underway.

"I'm on crutches, I am not well," he said in the Liverpool Daily Post.

"Am I going to be out for days, weeks or months? I do not know, but it will be difficult to play again by the end of the season. I'm getting fed up because the injuries always happen when I am trying to start something. I am someone who always tries to think positively. If I thought about these problems all the time, it would drive me crazy."

Saha has already spent two months on the treatment table this season, with a calf injury picked up while away on international duty in September keeping him out of action. He admits he is growing frustrated at the regular setbacks, with niggling knocks having followed him around.

Saha added: "This year was very frustrating. I did all the physical preparation, and I hurt myself in the process. For a footballer, there's nothing harder. Then I come back well in January and now this new injury happens. It's difficult mentally, and that's what makes me proud. Not everyone can come back as I did every time. I still have a lot to give. There were many moments where I wanted to drop everything, especially when I was at Manchester United. Fortunately I am surrounded by people that help me see the bright side of life because at one time, I was fed up."

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