Dyer facing England heartbreak

Kieron Dyer is on the verge of withdrawing from the England squad for the friendly against Spain after aggravating his long-standing shin injury.  

The 22-year-old asked to speak to club manager Bobby Robson straight after the home defeat by Manchester City.

"He's been very unhappy about his condition," Robson said. "He's got some pain with it, things are just standing still, it's not getting better, and it looks as if he'll have to withdraw. "

He added: "He feels he can't give it his best and he doesn't want to go and play like that for England.

"He's due a scan this week, but we were going to postpone that, let him go to play with England or whatever Sven-Goran Eriksson wants of him, and do the scan next week when he gets back.

"He wants to pull out and I'm trying to tell him not to do that because I'm on Sven's side in a way, but we still have to get the kid right.

"He doesn't think he's in form to play international football for a very important game for the new international manager."