RICHARD Dunne could be out for up to two months with a suspected dislocated shoulder sustained in Aston Villa’s home defeat to Manchester City.

Dunne had to be helped off late in yesterday afternoon’s 1-0 reverse after coming off worse in an aerial challenge with keeper Joe Hart.

The Irish defender has already been checked out by a specialist and Villa fear he could be sidelined for between a month and eight weeks.

It places a strain on the claret and blues’ central defensive partner with potential cover Ciaran Clark also out for around four weeks.

Clark damaged his knee ligaments during a training session on Saturday and missed Villa’s seventh home game without a win.

Villa’s only fit senior central defenders are James Collins and Carlos Cuellar with the latter currently deputising at left-back.

Manager Alex McLeish might be forced to call upon rookie defender Nathan Baker for their next match at Wigan a week on Saturday.

“We have a specialist right now looking at Richard,” said McLeish.

“We always have specialists in the crowd for different parts of the body.

“One of the guys was looking at him after the match.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen with the big ‘un.

“Whether he’s going to go to hospital I don’t know, I don’t know what they do if it’s dislocated.

“I can’t give you an answer just now. I do believe he will be out for at least a month. That’s serious enough.

“He’s not going to be back for the next game, that’s for sure. I don’t know at this moment exactly what’s happened. He’s definitely damaged his shoulder, which is part of the bad luck we’ve been having recently.”