Shearer Doubtful For Curtain Raiser

Shearer has not travelled with the squad for the pre-season friendly against Irish side Bray Wanderers because he has a calf strain and manager Graeme Souness has revealed that the Mapies centre-forward is a doubt for Sundays Premier League clash at Highbury.

"Alan won't be travelling with us to Ireland, and at this moment in time I have to say he is a slight doubt for the game at Arsenal," Souness told the clubs official website.

"He will stay behind and have treatment, and we will assess him later in the week before making a decision on him.

"We're hopeful he'll be OK, but we'll have to wait and see."