The 22-year-old was suspended yesterday for a 'serious breach of club discipline' and his future now looks in some doubt. Dunne has previously encountered disciplinary problems connected with his failure to turn up for training.

However, a repetition of that would seem unlikely to involve senior club officials and though neither manager Kevin Keegan, nor chief operating officer Chris Bird would confirm the problem, Dunne is unlikely to figure in the City squad for some time, if at all.

''We will have a board meeting to discuss the matter next week,'' said Keegan following his side's thrilling 2-2 draw with Blackburn at Maine Road this afternoon. ''It is something to do with club discipline but I'll leave you to fill in the bits. We will give more details later in the week.''

It is less than seven days since Keegan claimed Dunne's attitude had been ''exemplary'' following his previous problems.

Until yesterday, the former Everton player has been on the substitutes' bench for all City's Premiership games, although his only involvement came in the second half of the opening day encounter with Leeds. Keegan hinted at the severity of Dunne's alleged ill-discipline when saying: ''It is not his first breach of club rules but it might be the last. We'll see what we can do.''

Meanwhile, Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs has spoken out in defence of his club captain, Roy Keane, claiming recent controversies surrounding the Cork man have given jealous critics an excuse to target him.

"Whenever there is controversy involving Keane it's a good excuse for people to lay into him. There is a certain amount of jealousy involved. There isn't a team in Europe that wouldn't want him so it's laughable when people have a go just for the sake of it. As far as I'm concerned Keane epitomises the strength and passion of Man United, and that's all people here are interested in," Giggs said yesterday.

"Keane has never struck me as a dirty player. Fundamentally, he's a winner and anything else is secondary. There is hell to pay if Roy isn't on the winning side. That goes for everything he's involved in and that will to win sometimes comes at a cost. I guess some players are more composed and will walk away from potential trouble, but Keane is so competitive, he acts instantaneously and sometimes pays the price.

"But you can't just tame someone and nobody would try because it makes Keane what he is - a fierce competitor who never gives up the chase for victory. That is why our rivals think he's priceless and that's why they would jump at the chance of signing him."