Dyer preparing for quick return

Kieron Dyer hopes to return from injury in two weeks as he attempts to overcome a catalogue of injury problems to be part of Sven Goran Eriksson's World Cup squad. The England coach is believed to be ready to give the Newcastle midfielder every chance of getting fit, but says Dyer must be ready by mid-April if he is to play any part in Japan and South Korea.

Dyer, who is suffering from a stress fracture of the left foot, said: "I expect to be playing within a couple of weeks. I can't understand why some people have written me out of the World Cup. The last time I spoke with Mr Eriksson he told me his squad was not complete because he had not had the chance to pick me or Lee Bowyer."

Eriksson is seeking a definitive answer from the Football Association as to whether he can select Bowyer and his Leeds team-mate Jonathan Woodgate for the friendly against Italy at Elland Road next month.

He said: "We [the FA and Eriksson] will have to get together to discuss the situation of Bowyer and others."

The Italy match is likely to be the last game in which Eriksson gives a chance to players with only an outside chance of making his World Cup squad.

The FA insisted Bowyer and Woodgate could not be picked following charges of affray and grievous bodily harm being brought against them in January 2000. Bowyer was cleared of all charges in the trial which ended last December while Woodgate was found guilty of affray.