Leanne Kiernan's World Cup hopes fade after latest injury setback

Leanne Kiernan's World Cup hopes appear to be fading after Liverpool manager Matt Beard revealed that the striker is still at least 10 weeks away from a return to fitness.

The 23-year-old attacker has missed almost all of the season so far after picking up a serious ankle injury back in September.

Kiernan had been hoping to return to action earlier this month, having been forced to watch the climax of Ireland’s World Cup qualifying campaign from the sidelines, but she suffered a setback in her recovery at the start of February.

At the time Beard was hopeful that the striker would be back in action by April, giving her a couple of months to prove her fitness and stake a claim for a place in Vera Pauw’s World Cup squad.

However Liverpool have now reassessed that timeline and the club do not expect to see Kiernan on the pitch before mid-May at the earliest.

Speaking of Kiernan’s return at her World Cup chances, Beard said: "She is at least the earliest 10 weeks away, unfortunately. She has had a couple of setbacks when she has been back running on the pitch.

"We have had a couple of different scans just to try and get to the bottom of what’s happening. Obviously, she had an injection to try and settle the area around the heel and the ankle. I think we are at the point now where the main thing is we just get her back fit and healthy.

"I know with the World Cup looming we wanted to get her back before the end of the season and give her minutes. But I think the key thing now is the type of injury she has had, which is a serious one, is we just get her back fit and healthy.

"If that is before the end of the season then it gives her the opportunity potentially to stake a claim for the World Cup, but if not then it will be about getting