Wales confident Aaron Ramsey will be fit for qualifiers despite missing training

29 August 2017 15:24

Wales are confident Aaron Ramsey will be fit for World Cup qualifiers against Austria and Moldova despite missing training on Tuesday.

Ramsey suffered a kick to the calf during Arsenal's 4-0 Premier League defeat at Liverpool on Sunday and was substituted at half-time.

The 26-year-old sat out Wales' first training session ahead of Saturday's crunch Group D clash against Austria in Cardiff.

But Press Association Sport understands that decision was taken as a precaution, and Ramsey will be available for a game Wales need to win with Chris Coleman's side four points adrift of Serbia and the Republic of Ireland with four games left to play.

Ramsey's Anfield injury added to manager Coleman's midfield worries ahead of the visit of Austria and the trip to Moldova next Tuesday.

Joe Allen is suspended for the Austria game, Emyr Huws is ruled out with an Achilles problem and Joe Ledley - who is still unattached after leaving Crystal Palace in June - has not played a club game for nearly seven months.

Leicester's Andy King and David Edwards, who left Wolves to join Reading last weekend, have also had limited game-time this season.

But Coleman was boosted by the sight of Gareth Bale at training after Wales' talisman played in Real Madrid's 2-2 LaLiga draw with Valencia on Sunday night.

Bale did some recovery work with other members of the Wales squad who played for their clubs on Sunday.

Wales resume their World Cup campaign with ground to make up in their final four qualifiers - Austria and the Republic at home and Moldova and Georgia away.

But Wales remain unbeaten in the group and after June's 1-1 draw in Serbia - a game which Bale missed through suspension - Jazz Richards insists there is plenty still to play for.

"To get that draw in Serbia was a good result, it keeps us in it ahead of the final four games," Cardiff defender Richards told Press Association Sport.

"The disappointment was that we were 1-0 ahead for a long time in the game.

"But we were missing a few key players in 28 degrees heat and the boys had not played for a few weeks because of the break at the end of the season.

"It was a game we definitely could not afford to lose and, before the campaign, I think Welsh fans would have taken a draw from that one."

Wales have drawn five of their six World Cup qualifiers and not been behind in any match.

B ut Richards accepts that the time has come to start winning if they are to reach the finals in Russia next summer.

"Everybody has been looking to the Austria game," said Richards, who is again likely to deputise for the suspended Neil Taylor on Saturday.

"We need to show the heart we have done over the last couple of years because if we do that then nine times out of 10 we will get the result.

"We all know this is a massive game and what we have to do if we are going to qualify.

"There's still enough points to play for and we're more than a good enough team to get what we need."

::Jazz Richards was speaking at the McDonald's & FAW Community Football Day in Swansea, celebrating 15 years of McDonald's partnering with the four UK home nations & supporting grassroots football. For more information visit www.mcdonalds.co.uk/betterplay

Source: PA