Kurt Zouma is set to be sidelined for around six months after sustaining a knee injury against Man United. David Silva limps off during City’s home loss to Leicester, James Tomkins could be out for around four weeks, whilst Quique Sanchez Flores concedes his front two are somewhat fatigued.
Arsenal
The Gunners new midfielder Mohamed Elneny was omitted from Arsenal’s matchday squad at Bournemouth on the grounds that he was witnessing the birth of his child.
Chelsea
Having been stretchered off against Manchester United following an awkward landing, Kurt Zouma has been ruled out of action for around six months. Earlier this evening, Chelsea confirmed the defender – who started 16 of the last 17 league matches – has suffered anterior ligament damage and will undergo knee surgery over the next 48 hours.
With Zouma now consigned to a lengthy spell on the sidelines, Gary Cahill should enjoy security of starts alongside John Terry. Priced at 6.1, Cahill faces a tough task in finding a way into our Fantasy plans, though. Cesar Azpilicueta (5.7) – who’s upped his attacking output this term with two goals and as many assists – remains the value route into a Chelsea defence that’s recorded four clean sheets in seven outings.
Crystal Palace
Having just returned from an ankle problem, Yohan Cabaye was replaced at the 72-minute mark against Swansea City while displaying visible discomfort. Nonetheless, Alan Pardew insisted that the France international was just contending with fatigue rather than a recurrence of that injury:
“He’s fine. He was struggling a little bit with his fitness because he hasn’t worked [ahead of the game]. He’s had a sore ankle as we know and was touch and go for this game but he was terrific.”
Liverpool
Dejan Lovren and Joe Allen were both withdrawn in the first half of Liverpool’s home encounter against Sunderland. First-team coach Pepijn Lijnders confirmed that the former was simply struggling with cramp, while the latter needs a scan to ascertain the extent of his shoulder complaint:
“Lovren felt cramp two or three times in the same position. [It was] very light so it was just a precaution to come off because it was in the same spot. Allen was fatigued just before half-time and the scan has to show what comes out of that tomorrow.”
Earlier today, Jurgen Klopp revealed that Daniel Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho and Divock Origi are expected to play some part in Liverpool’s cup replay with West Ham tomorrow, though Cameron Brannagan misses out through injury.
Certainly, the return of Sturridge, Coutinho and Origi strengthens Liverpool’s options in the final third as the Reds continue to compete in four competitions. Roberto Firmino has flourished as a “false nine” in recent weeks but with both Sturridge and Origi offering alternatives in the central role up top, it remains to be seen whether the Brazilian can retain his out of position berth or be shifted into attacking midfield with more options now available to his manager.
Manchester City
David Silva suffered an ankle injury in the 77th minute of Manchester City’s home clash against Leicester City, which Manuel Pellegrini believes will be hard to shake off before Spurs’ visit this Sunday:
“He had a twist in the same ankle. I think it will be difficult for him to recover soon. We will see before the weekend.”
Newcastle United
Much to Steve McClaren’s delight, Fabricio Coloccini made himself available for the Magpies’ home tie against West Brom, despite the fact he’s been nursing a swollen knee since their defeat at Goodison Park:
“Colo has been on the treatment table for the last few days with a swollen knee and I think that goes unnoticed but it epitomises the leadership.”
The Toon’s injury crisis looked to have intensified when Daryl Janmaat received a kick to the leg, but McClaren is confident that the Dutchman will recover in time for their trip to Chelsea:
“He got a kick and a dead leg but he should be okay.”
Stoke City
Mark Hughes revealed that Jonathan Walters sat out Stoke City’s 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Everton because of illness.
Sunderland
Following his side’s dramatic comeback draw at Liverpool, Sam Allardyce updated the media on the fitness of Fabio Borini Duncan Watmore Younes Kaboul and Jeremain Lens:
“Fabio was ill, Dunc got ill just as the game started (and also picked up an ankle knock) and Younes was fit but twisted his ankle on Friday, so we looked at the situation before training on Friday and it looked very good but then Younes is injured again after coming back; I don’t think it’s going to be too long. Jeremain Lens also didn’t recover from Wednesday so he didn’t make it and Fabio went down with illness, but the changes we made haven’t weakened us and we’ve gone on to get a draw.”
Jermain Defoe – who equalised with his 10th goal of the campaign – appeared to pull up with a hamstring problem in the final minute of the Reds clash. However, the former Tottenham Hotspur recruit later asserted that he was fine:
“It’s alright. I just felt it a little bit with that last sprint.”
Watford
In the wake of the Hornets’ 1-0 defeat at White Hart Lane, Quique Sanchez Flores said that Troy Deeney, Valon Behrami and Odion Ighalo didn’t train after their midweek meeting with Chelsea by virtue of fatigue. Having chosen to start Ighalo anyway, Flores admitted that the Nigerian marksman was tired:
“We had three players who haven’t trained since Chelsea on Wednesday; Behrami, (Odion) Ighalo and Deeney. They needed time to recover. Maybe with two more days they would’ve all been ready. But we had to play today against Tottenham. We knew that in the opening minutes of matches Tottenham are physically strong. I didn’t want to waste the fitness of these players in the opening minutes when I knew we would have to defend. I wanted to manage the changes – like we did at half-time – but in the end it was not enough. I wanted to choose one player from Deeney, Behrami and Ighalo to start. In the end I chose Ighalo but I could tell he was tired.”
News of Ighalo’s fitness issues will be a concern for his 36% ownership, particularly when the 6.3-priced forward has experienced a downturn in form of late, carding just one goal in six outings and recording just three shots on target across the previous four Gameweeks. Nonetheless, Watford are next matched up against a Crystal Palace defence that’s shipped 10 goals since Gameweek 22, which bodes well for Ighalo’s Fantasy prospects.
Elsewhere in Watford’s camp, Miguel Britos was subbed off in the 54th minute with a knock.
West Bromwich Albion
The Baggies could find themselves short on the defensive end when they make the trip to Everton next Gameweek, given that Craig Dawson (ankle), Gareth McAuley (thigh impact) and Jonas Olsson (hamstring) were all named by Tony Pulis as fresh injury concerns after their 1-0 loss at St James’ Park:
“It looks as though we’ve picked up one or two more injuries again today. Jonas was feeling his hamstring at the end, Gareth, when he got booked, the lad’s caught him on his thigh. So we’ve got one or two knocks – Dawson again on the far side late on has hurt his ankle.”
With the likes of Jonny Evans and Chris Brunt still sidelined, Pulis will be praying that the above-mentioned trio suffered no more than knocks as he attempts to address a run of two clean sheets in 15 Gameweeks. The Baggies now roll up to Goodison this weekend and with the Toffees second only to City for home goals, those who chose to hold Romelu Lukaku will be optimistic that the Belgian can build on Saturday’s strike at Stoke. West Brom play Peterborough in an FA Cup replay on Wednesday, so we should get an update on their progress in Pulis’ press conference tomorrow.
West Ham United
Cheikhou Kouyate was unavailable for selection at St Mary’s Stadium because of an eye infection. As for James Tomkins, Slaven Bilic reckons the Hammers defender may well be out of action for a few weeks with the calf complaint he suffered at Southampton:
“James Tomkins got injured in the Southampton game, he felt it before during the warm up but he said he was OK. At half-time he said he was OK but shortly after that it went, it’s a calf injury. He has a scan this morning, so after that we’ll know more. It’s probably a few weeks if we are lucky, maybe more. It’ll be two to four weeks.”
If Tomkins is ruled out for around a month, the stage is set for Sam Byram to stake his claim for a regular starting berth. The former Leeds United man was often deployed as a right winger during his spell with the Whites – netting three goals in December – so there’s certainly scope for the 4.9-priced defender to emerge as a differential route into an Irons rearguard that now embarks on a pair of favourable match-ups against Norwich and Sunderland.
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