All of Ireland holds its breath.
Shane Long is in a race against time to make it back for Ireland's Euro 2016 play-offs in November after Southampton confirmed that he will be out for a number of weeks.
Club manager Ronald Koeman said that the striker could be missing for up to a month after doing ligaments in his ankle and, with Jon Walters already missing for the first leg of Ireland's play-offs through suspension, Long's potential absence would be an even bigger blow again.
"He'll be out for, I expect, two to four weeks," Koeman said in the Southampton press conference to preview Saturday's Permier League clash with Leicester City. "It's a disappointment but it's part of football."
The Euro 2016 play-offs take place between November 12 and 14 (first leg) and November 15 and 17 (second leg) so Martin O'Neill will be hoping that Long's injury is closer to the two-week spell and that the Saints man can get a bit of club football under his belt before returning for international duty.
The draw for the play-offs takes place on Sunday morning from 10.15am.
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