Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough has guaranteed that Leicester City defender Jonny Evans will not be put at risk during the international break.
Leicester-born Baraclough named Evans in his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers despite the defender's injury absence since the FA Cup final.
Evans has been dealing with foot pain since May and while back on the pitches at Seagrave, he has not yet worked alongside his team-mates in full training.
“He's got an injury, plantar fasciitis, when it can go as quickly as it came," Baraclough told Sky Sports.
“He's had treatment on it, he's rested it, he's taken advice from professionals. Players have had this in the past and they've had to work with it and work through the pain and Jonny has certainly done that at the end of last season.
“It's worrying for anybody and Jonny is a key player for us so fingers crossed it can be a miraculous recovery.
“He'll be behind the rest in game-time that's for sure and we have to be mindful of pushing someone like that. If we can help in any sort of way, by giving him some sort of game-time, maybe the Estonia game…"
He added to the BBC: “I've named him more in hope to be honest. He has not started training with Leicester but to have him around for any sort of timescale would be a bonus.
"We know he is a big doubt, I've named him in the squad but there is a contingency plan if he doesn't make it. I wanted to give him every chance."
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