by Dave Knapper
dave.knapper@thesentinel.co.uk

STOKE star Liam Lawrence is a major doubt for Sunday's trip to Portsmouth after picking up a freak ankle injury.

Last season's player-of-the-year suffered the injury after attempting to side step the family pet.

City boss Tony Pulis explained: "He has stepped over his dog on the stairs and his ankle just gave way and he went over on it.

"The initial scan has shown no break but we have sent him back for another X-Ray to make sure.

"It could be a big blow for us, but hopefully it isn't to bad.

"We don't know how serious it is at the moment, he may be ok for Portsmouth then again he may not be fit, we will have to wait and see."

Lawrence isn't the first professional footballer to suffer a freak injury.

Last season Rochdale's Lee Thorpe missed out on the club's play-off games after breaking his arm in three places following an arm-wrestling match on the team coach.

In the mid-90s, Southampton goalkeeper Dave Beasant ruptured his ankle ligaments after dropping a bottle of salad cream on his foot.

Norwegian international defender Svein Grondalen was forced to withdraw from the national team in the 1970s after he collided with a moose while out jogging.

Other freak accidents include Rio Ferdinand picking up a tendon strain while watching television. The England star had kept his foot up on the coffee table for a number of hours and injured the tendon behind his knee.

David Batty injured his achilles tendon when he was run over his toddler on a tricycle.

Sean Flynn could sympathise with the former Leeds United hardman, after he suffered a broken nose and bruised toes after tripping over his son's toy cars.