Kevin Doyle is finishing his first season in the Premiership with a nomination for the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Young Player of the Year award.

Doyle, who has scored 10 league goals for Reading this season, is joined by Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo and Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas, both of whom are also short-listed in the senior PFA category.

The Young Player of the Year shortlist is completed by United’s Wayne Rooney, who was won the Young Player award for the past two seasons, Spurs winger Aaron Lennon and Manchester City defender Micah Richards.

In addition to Ronaldo and Fabregas, Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard and United veterans Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs are in the running for the senior award.

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Newcastle United & Ireland winger Damien Duff has been told he will not be able to play again this season after having scans on his ankle injury.

The 28-year-old Ireland international was forced off during the 2-1 defeat to Portsmouth at Fratton Park, just a few weeks after making his first-team return from a knee problem earlier in the season.

And after undergoing an X-ray on the injury after being withdrawn ten minutes from the end of Saturday's game, Duff was told he would not be able to play for several weeks because of the swelling to the joint.

"While an X-ray has shown there is no break, Damien has a badly swollen ankle," said Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder.

"Our medical people tell us that he will not be able to play again this season.

"It's bad luck for Damien coming at a time when he was beginning to show the sort of form we have been looking for from him."

Duff, a £5 million signing from Chelsea last summer, will miss the showdown against his former employers on Sunday as well as the home match against Blackburn Rovers – another former club – on May 5th