CRAIG BELLAMY is rated "a big doubt" for Saturday's key Barclays Premier League match at Arsenal after missing Wales' 2-0 World Cup qualifying defeat against Germany at the Millenium Stadium last night.
Striker Bellamy, crucial to manager Mark Hughes' campaign to snatch seventh place and an almost certain passport back into European football, pulled out of training in Cardiff with a sore knee.
Bellamy is back at Carrington as the Blues' international brigade head back to the club, but Hughes admitted: "There is a bit of an issue with his knee. We'll have a look at it and we'll see, but he is a big doubt for the weekend."
The Wales skipper, who has had knee surgery on more than one occasion, could yet be joined on the sidelines at The Emirates by record signing Robinho, who hobbled out of Brazil's 3-0 home qualifying win against Peru.
Hughes said: "We have had a message back from Brazil that he should be OK." But Robinho and Elano are not expected back from South America until tomorrow, when the manager must assess their readiness for a demanding game at Arsenal."
Hughes is keeping his fingers crossed that there are no other doubts among his returning stars, knowing that a first away League win since August or even a draw on Saturday could kick-start a successful run-in to seventh spot.
He admitted: "Away wins have been a struggle in the Premier League, though not in Europe. But we are strnger now than we were in the first half of the season, and the players coming back will supplement the team."
Martin Petrov, Danny Sturridge, Benjani and Michael Johnson are all on the way back from injury, although highly unlikely to figure at Arsenal given their lack of match fitness.
Striker Bellamy, crucial to manager Mark Hughes' campaign to snatch seventh place and an almost certain passport back into European football, pulled out of training in Cardiff with a sore knee.
Bellamy is back at Carrington as the Blues' international brigade head back to the club, but Hughes admitted: "There is a bit of an issue with his knee. We'll have a look at it and we'll see, but he is a big doubt for the weekend."
The Wales skipper, who has had knee surgery on more than one occasion, could yet be joined on the sidelines at The Emirates by record signing Robinho, who hobbled out of Brazil's 3-0 home qualifying win against Peru.
Hughes said: "We have had a message back from Brazil that he should be OK." But Robinho and Elano are not expected back from South America until tomorrow, when the manager must assess their readiness for a demanding game at Arsenal."
Hughes is keeping his fingers crossed that there are no other doubts among his returning stars, knowing that a first away League win since August or even a draw on Saturday could kick-start a successful run-in to seventh spot.
He admitted: "Away wins have been a struggle in the Premier League, though not in Europe. But we are strnger now than we were in the first half of the season, and the players coming back will supplement the team."
Martin Petrov, Danny Sturridge, Benjani and Michael Johnson are all on the way back from injury, although highly unlikely to figure at Arsenal given their lack of match fitness.