Fantasy managers are bracing themselves for the knock-on effect of this weekend’s FA Cup results, with a handful of Gameweek 30 fixtures currently at risk of postponement. We cast an eye over the previous two days’ press conferences this morning, assessing the latest injury news and the weekend plans of a number of top-flight managers:
Arsenal
In his usual Friday morning press conference, Arsene Wenger issued an update on a couple of Arsenal defenders ahead of this lunchtime’s cup encounter against Hull:
“Koscielny will be available. He has a test today but it will be positive…He (Gabriel) is running outside. He is out for Saturday. I believe one more week. He started running yesterday but one more week [is needed]. “
Koscielny limped out of the weekend win over Leicester with a leg problem, whilst Gabriel – who had started back-to-back league matches prior to the Foxes clash – missed out with a hamstring complaint, allowing Per Mertesacker to return to the starting XI. When quizzed on rotation, Wenger also went on to say he will play “a usual strong team” and admitted new boy Mohamed Elneny “has a chance” of starting in the centre of the park. Danny Welbeck could also be in line to start after netting the late winner against Leicester, though Petr Cech will be rested as David Ospina is Wenger’s chosen keeper in the FA Cup.
Bournemouth
Eddie Howe was somewhat reluctant to reveal his plans for Bournemouth’s home clash against Everton later today. Briefing the press first thing yesterday morning, the Cherries boss would only admit:
“We’d love to progress. I’ll leave the team selection as a surprise! I won’t tell you, but there will be some changes, we’ve got a good squad.”
Chelsea
John Terry remains sidelined for Chelsea’s clash against City at Stamford Bridge, Guus Hiddink has confirmed.
“John will not be fit for this weekend. I saw him this morning, he was with the physios. Yesterday he was training a bit on the pitch, but there are still too many problems for him to be fit for the weekend. It is still the same issues. We have another week and I hope he will be available for the next game (Southampton away on January 27). I can’t predict it, but we have to be a bit cautious with him as well because he likes to be there every day. We know him, you know him – he loves to play.”
The Blues’ new centre-half Matt Miazga could possibly feature for the first time if he can prove his fitness, though Hiddink is likely to field Branislav Ivanovic at the heart of defence alongside Gary Cahill, with Kurt Zouma out for the season.
Crystal Palace
Alan Pardew will make a last-minute decision on Yannick Bolasie and Bakary Sako as both step up their return to fitness following injury. Ahead of the cup encounter with Spurs, the Palace boss admitted:
”We have been cautious with him (Bolasie) in the last two weeks, so this week we have protected him and we’re not going to rush him back. That’s the same with Bakary, so they won’t be involved at Tottenham unless they’re 100 per cent fit, I can assure you that.”
Dwight Gayle and Joe Ledley could also be back in contention, then, with Pardew going on to say:
“The injury news for us is that the squad is healthier. We have no McArthur or Puncheon; they’re a little bit more long term. But everybody else is pretty close.”
Everton
Roberto Martinez conceded that Everton’s big-money signing Oumar Niasse is a big doubt for this evening’s trip to Bournemouth:
“We want to make sure Oumar is fully fit and ready. He had a little surgery on his wrist and that area has been causing him a bit of a problem. He is getting physically stronger with every session and his positive attitude is contagious. The next 48 hours will give us the final answer on whether or not Oumar will be available. He still has an outside chance but, if not, I feel very confident he will be fit and ready to be involved for the next game against Aston Villa.”
Given that there’s a fortnight until their next match, Niasse’s likely absence could allow Tom Cleverley and Aaron Lennon to retain the flank roles should Martinez opt against rotation out wide. Elsewhere, John Stones has stepped up his recovery from injury and is expected to be part of the squad, though Mo Besic is very likely to miss out again. The Toffees boss also confirmed that Joel Robles – who has now started the last five in all competitions – will continue in goal as he is the club’s designated keeper in cup matches this season.
A win for the Toffees would force their Gameweek 30 clash against Sunderland to be postponed and would have big repercussions for Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley owners, given that they are already without a fixture in Gameweek 27.
Manchester City
With a Champions League trip to Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday evening, Manuel Pellegrini has hinted at fielding a somewhat weakened line-up for City’s FA Cup clash against Chelsea on Sunday:
“Sagna worked today after ten days out. Mangala is injured, Nasri, De Bruyne and Bony are also out. Bony has started working on the pitch these last two days. He needs at least one week more. We have just 13 players available to play – we have to play Champions League on Wednesday – we’ll see the best team we can play on Sunday. We couldn’t play on the Saturday for some reason, so we put out the best team we can. “Young players have the option and they must take their chances. We normally have some young players in the cup – one or two maximum. I hope with the team we play against Chelsea, we hope they make the performance that we know they can. For me always the priority is the next game but we must make an exception now because of so many injuries. After that, we have to play a really important 180 minutes against Kiev.”
Given that City also face a Capital One Cup final against Liverpool the following week, Pellegrini’s team sheet will be eagerly anticipated this weekend. If City fall to defeat against Guus Hiddink’s side and therefore exit the FA Cup, their Gameweek 30 trip to Norwich would then take place. A win, however, would mean Sergio Aguero is without fixtures in Gameweek 27 and 30, with his owners potentially looking elsewhere for a short-term replacement.
A win for Chelsea, meanwhile, would result in the postponement of their home match with Liverpool in Gameweek 30. Bearing in mind the Reds also have a blank Gameweek 27 and clash with City in Gameweek 28, those holding the likes of Roberto Firmino will surely be reassessing their options.
Stoke
With just a week to go until their home clash with Villa, Stoke are nursing a number of backline concerns, with Erik Pieters and Philipp Wollscheid their only fully-fit defenders. Phil Bardsley is nursing a leg problem, Glenn Johnson is sidelined with knee ligament damage, whilst Marc Muniesa is hoping to overcome a hamstring complaint. Geoff Cameron is expected to miss out, though assistant manager Marc Bowen refused to rule out Ryan Shawcross:
“Ryan hasn’t joined in with the group yet. He’s just started line running and is working himself to a standstill. The ideal scenario is to get him home next week and ready to join in with the other lads, then he has the best part of a week to see if he can make the Villa game.”
A potential return for Shawcross would make a significant difference to how we assess the Potters’ defence ahead of back-to-back home encounters with Villa and Newcastle. Mark Hughes’ men have conceded 10 goals in the last four since their skipper limped off early at Leicester in Gameweek 23 –prior to that, they’d served up seven clean sheets in 12.
Tottenham
Tom Carroll is will be absent for “seven to 10 days” after being forced off with a cut Achilles in Tottenham’s Europa League draw at Fiorentina. Hugo Lloris remains out of the clash against Palace but has a chance of returning for Thursday’s home encounter against the Italians.
The likes of Harry Kane, Mousa Dembele and Eric Dier can expect to return to the starting line-up after being utilised as subs on Thursday night.
Watford
Watford duo Miguel Britos and Jose Manuel Jurado are back in training after missing out against Palace last weekend. The pair will be assessed ahead of the Hornets’ home clash with Leeds, whilst Costel Pantilimon is expected to get the nod between the sticks ahead of Heurelho Gomez.
West Brom
Tony Pulis has conceded that “at least four players, maybe five” will miss the Baggies’ cup encounter with Reading. James Morrison and Callum McManaman can account for two of those names, whilst Gareth McAuley remains a doubt despite stepping up his recovery from a hamstring problem by returning to training earlier in the week.
West Ham
Slaven Bilic rolled out an update on his players ahead of West Ham’s cup trip to Blackburn yesterday morning:
“Well, Andy Carroll is out and Enner Valencia also. Manuel Lanzini is back and Reidy should be OK for the Sunderland game. Diafra Sakho is hopefully going to start training with us on Monday or Tuesday. Joey O’Brien and James Tomkins are still out, with Sam Byram cup-tied, we are a little bit struggling with that position, but we are going to compensate that position.”
Lanzini’s comeback could see Bilic return to a 4-2-3-1 set-up at Ewood Park and with Dimitri Payet nailed-on, Michail Antonio will be hoping to remain ahead of Victor Moses in the pecking order out wide. Bilic admitted he will start cup keeper Darren Randolph at Ewood Park before going on to say he will play his “strongest team possible”.
