Stoke City striker Jon Walters ready for action after ankle injury scare

STOKE City striker Jon Walters will be fit for Ireland's World Cup qualifier in Sweden on Friday after recovering from an ankle injury.

Walters was forced to hobble out of training in Dublin on Tuesday after a collision with West Brom striker Shane Long.

He is likely to start on the bench against Sweden because Long is favourite to partner Robbie Keane up front.

But Stoke will be relieved to hear the ankle problem won't keep Walters out of their game at Everton a week on Saturday. 

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The 29 year old said: "I have had bad ankle injuries in the past and ruptured it. This pain was more than that so I thought it was going to be worse than it was, but it was fine after about an hour."

Meanwhile Walters says Ireland's hopes of World Cup qualification will be all over if they don't perform in their two crucial qualifiers over the next few days.

After taking on Sweden on Friday, Ireland entertain Austria next Tuesday.

All three sides are competing for second spot in the group behind Germany.

Walters said: "If we go there and we are beaten by Sweden and we don't turn up against Austria and are beaten there, we are not going to get second place, are we?

"We have to get the results we need and, if we don't, we all know the consequences of that.

"Germany are way above most teams in the world and I think the group is theirs, so a lot of teams are fighting now for second place."