Injury boost for Hammers star

5:38pm Friday 10th October 2008

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VALON Behrami was back in training with the Switzerland national team on Thursday, having appeared to have overcome a minor ankle injury.

The 23-year-old West Ham United star was treated on the pitch after being on the receiving end of a challenge from Manchester City’s Gelson Fernandes on Wednesday.

Behrami was photographed clutching his right ankle in obvious discomfort by Swiss newspapers.

The midfielder had a quantity of ice strapped to the joint before hobbling back to the dressing room.

However, on Thursday morning, he was back in action and, according to reports, suffered “no problem” from the ankle in question - as was exclusively revealed by the Echo on Thursday.

Behrami is now set to take his place in the Switzerland side for Saturday’s 2010 World Cup qualifier against Latvia in St Gallen, having missed his nation’s calamitous 2-1 home defeat to Luxembourg through injury.

The news will come as a relief to Hammers’ supporters, who have already lost striker Dean Ashton until the New Year with his own ankle complaint.

Elsewhere, Behrami’s midfield colleagues Jack Collison and Mark Noble are preparing for Friday evening’s UEFA 2009 European Championship qualifying play-off first leg at Cardiff City’s Ninian Park.

The pair, who know each other well after coming through the ranks together at Upton Park, will square-off at Ninian Park in an eagerly-anticipated fixture being screened live by SKY Sports (7.40pm kick-off).

Meanwhile, Matthew Upson looks almost certain to start for England in Saturday’s 2010 World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan at Wembley (5.15pm kick-off) after captain John Terry was ruled out with a back injury.

Upson is the hot favourite to be named in Fabio Capello’s side ahead of Everton’s Joleon Lescott, but the Italian was remaining tight-lipped over Terry’s replacement on Friday.

“We have plenty of players, we have the substitutes, I am sure the substitute of John Terry will play well,” he said.

Craig Bellamy and James Collins will also be in international action on Saturday when Wales take on Liechtenstein in a World Cup qualifier at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.