Downing out of World Cup qualifiers

MIDDLEBROUGH, England (AP) -Stewart Downing has been ruled out of England's World Cup qualifying games with Kazakhstan and Andorra.

"I think Stewart is going to be out for two or three months at least,'' Middlesbrough assistant manager Malcolm Crosby said Thursday. "That's not good news for him or the club. Stewart is facing an operation and will be very frustrated.''

Downing is expected to have a pin inserted in his foot on Friday. He had already been ruled out of Boro's final Premier League match of the season at West Ham on Sunday - a game Boro must win to stand any chance of avoiding relegation.

The operation means he will miss both England's trip to Almaty to play Kazakhstan on June 6 and the home game with Andorra at Wembley on June 10.

The Middlesbrough winger suffered the foot injury after a tackle by Stiliyan Petrov during his side's 1-1 draw with Aston Villa at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday and was substituted after 23 minutes.