Ciaran Clark suffered a "bad" ankle injury in Newcastle's defeat to Arsenal this evening that has put his involvement in Ireland's Euro 2020 play-off semi-final with Slovakia in jeopardy.
The defender was in visible pain after a challenge from Bukayo Saka saw him forced off after 83 minutes in a 4-0 hammering at the hands of the Gunners.
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce painted a bleak picture after the match with Ireland set travel to Bratislava on March 26 for the crucial showdown.
"He's got a bad one," Bruce told after the game.
"It doesn’t look good. By the state of his ankle it looks pretty serious. We’ll know more in the next 24-48 hours.
"It doesn’t look great, the state of his ankle, leaving the ground on crutches. I can’t say now how bad it is but it’s bad enough."
It is another headache for Ireland boss Mick McCarthy with James McClean in a fitness race after picking up in a medial knee ligament injury playing for Stoke City.
Clark came on for the injured John Egan at half-time of Ireland's 1-1 draw with Denmark at the end of their regular qualifying campaign last November.
