Leicester's Harry Souttar has returned to their match-day squad in the English Championship following a 15-month injury nightmare, raising more hopes the influential defender could soon be back in World Cup contention for the Socceroos.
The giant centre back, so influential for Australia in the 2022 edition in Qatar, has had to endure life on the sidelines since late 2024, but was at last named again in City's squad amid their fight against relegation at Swansea on Saturday.
The 27-year-old didn't get to take the field and was forced to watch in frustration as the Foxes slipped closer to the drop with their 1-0 defeat, but his presence on the subs' bench was a huge moment for a man who could still be a key figure for the showpiece in North America.
Souttar, who's not played for Australia since November 2024, was on loan from the Foxes at Sheffield United when he ruptured his Achilles on Boxing Day the following month, and he endured another setback during his rehabilitation in January this year when requiring more minor surgery.
But back at Leicester on the comeback trail, he's already played 45 minutes in a practice match at the club earlier this month, with Australia coach Tony Popovic having noted last month: "Hopefully, at the end of the season he's an option for us."
Meanwhile, fellow Socceroo centre back Cameron Burgess impressed in Swansea's win which has left Leicester, Premier League champs only a decade ago, one from bottom in the Championship and in grave jeopardy of slipping into the third tier.
Other good news for Popovic was the continued fine form of his 20-year-old ace Nestory Irankunda, who was Watford's sharpest threat despite their 2-0 Championship defeat at Oxford.
But it proved a disappointing afternoon for Riley McGree, whose Middlesbrough side slumped to a 1-0 home defeat against struggling Portsmouth, a result that deals a huge blow to Boro's hopes of automatic promotion to the Premier League.
In the Scottish Premiership, Cammy Devlin, improving with each outing after injury, was at the heart of Hearts' 3-1 win against Motherwell that keeps them three points ahead of Celtic, who beat St Mirren 1-0.
