The Treatment Table – Gameweek 24

Andy Carroll is a worry ahead of West Ham’s clash with West Brom. Hector Bellerin is forced off with a head injury in Arsenal’s loss at Chelsea, while Bournemouth and Liverpool have concerns in defence as both attempt to bounce back from damaging weekend defeats. Here’s our usual post-Gameweek update on the latest batch of knocks and niggles concerning Premier League managers.

Andy Carroll, Cheikhou Kouyate

Hammers boss Slaven Bilic revealed after Saturday’s 3-1 win at Southampton that forward Andy Carroll was substituted as a precaution as he continues to deal with a minor groin injury:

“He felt a little bit of a groin [strain] when we played Middlesbrough so we didn’t want to take any risks. At half-time we told him, if possible, to try to play 10 minutes. He said he can. We didn’t want to take any risks with him. So hopefully he’ll be ok. He felt something a little bit. You never know but hopefully he’ll be available for the next game against West Brom.”

Frustratingly from a Fantasy perspective, Carroll – now up to 4.9% ownership – has started to find his form of late, recording four goals in as many league outings.

The Hammers also benefit from having fixtures in Gameweek 26 and 28, yet with question marks again surfacing over his fitness, many potential owners will be thinking twice over investing.

Cheikhou Kouyate, who filled in at right-back for the Hammers last weekend, was taken off during the second-half having picked up a slight knock.

Bilic praised the performance of the Senegal international after the match, and with no mention of any significant injury, he may well be okay to face West Brom this weekend.

Should both Kouyate and Sam Byram recover in time, the latter is likely to return at right-back, allowing the Hammers boss to utilise the Senegal international in his preferred central midfield berth once again.

Hector Bellerin

The Arsenal defender, who was forced off during the first-half of Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Chelsea after suffering a head injury in the build-up to the home side’s first goal, took to social media to tell fans he doesn’t expect to be out of action for to long:

“Thank you for all the messages. I’m recovering well at home and will soon be back on the pitch to help the team fight back!”

Due to the protocols involving players forced off with concussion, it remains to be seen whether Bellerin will be passed fit for the Gunners’ home clash with Hull City this Saturday.

Having only returned to the starting XI for the first time since Gameweek 20, Bellerin’s potential absence could allow Gabriel a reprieve against the Tigers. With a blank Gameweek 26 and potentially without one in Gameweek 28, he’s already been sold by over 12,000 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers since the weekend deadline.

Sofiane Boufal

Restored to the starting XI against West Ham United last weekend, Southampton midfielder Sofiane Boufal’s afternoon only lasted 62 minutes, before being forced off due to an ankle injury.

Speaking after the match, Saints boss Claude Puel admitted he was uncertain on the prognosis:

“I don’t know for the moment, [how long he will be unavailable for]. I hope it’s not important, we will see but I hope it’s not a bad injury because he’s a talented player who can give a good solution and he had a good relationship with Gabbiadini. He’s an important player for us and we hope he will be available.”

But with the report suggesting Boufal faces a race against time to prove his fitness for the EFL Cup final, he looks a major doubt for Saturday’s trip to Sunderland.

One of either Nathan Redmond or Dusan Tadic look set to earn a recall against the Black Cats, then, after both were named on the bench in the 3-1 loss to Slaven Bilic’s side.

Simon Francis, Adam Smith

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe revealed after Saturday’s 6-3 defeat to Everton that defender Simon Francis was substituted at half-time due to a slight hamstring injury, while Adam Smith missed the trip to Merseyside due to a calf complaint.

The status of both players will hopefully be updated by Howe later in the week, with news on Smith’s fitness of particular interest given his 7.2% ownership in FPL, ahead of Monday night’s home encounter with Manchester City.

With Charlie Daniels struggling to recover in time from knee injury, Howe’s defensive resources are looking slightly depleted, with Steve Cook, Brad Smith and Tyrone Mings the only senior defenders available for selection, with youngster Baily Cargill another possible option.

Good news, then, for the Gabriel Jesus bandwagon as he heads to face a defence that’s conceded at least twice in all but one of the last eight rounds of fixtures.

Yohan Cabaye, Scott Dann

The Crystal Palace midfielder was forced off with an ankle injury during the first-half of Saturday’s 4-0 defeat to Sunderland, while Scott Dann suffered a hamstring problem towards the end of the match, seeing the Eagles finish the game with ten men.

Both players appear doubtful ahead of Saturday’s trip to the bet365 Stadium, then, with Sam Allardyce expected to provide an update on the pair’s fitness later this week.

If Dann is ruled out, Big Sam may consider handing a debut to Mamadou Sakho, providing the on-loan Liverpool defender’s match fitness is up to scratch.

Fellow January signing Luka Milivojevic could be in line to replace Cabaye should he receive a work permit in time, with Joe Ledley and Mathieu Flamini other alternatives in central midfield.

Certainly, Dann’s possible absence will have Peter Crouch’s owners optimistic of further returns this weekend. Stoke’s budget frontman has netted in four of the last five Gameweeks and retained his start ahead of new boy Saido Berahino last time out.

Michael Dawson

Hull City centre-back Michael Dawson pulled up with an injury during the warm-up ahead of Saturday’s home clash against Liverpool, handing Andrea Ranocchia his Tigers debut.

It’s since been confirmed that Dawson picked up a calf injury, although the severity of the problem has yet to be revealed.

Ranocchia and Harry Maguire were part of a Hull defence that managed to keep Liverpool out last weekend, though, earning the Tigers a first home clean sheet of the season and a second in succession after also snuffing out Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Dawson had played every minute over Gameweek 9-23 after recovering from injury and looked an assured pick into a defence that has fixtures in both Gameweek 26 and 28.

But, regardless of Dawson’s availability, the weekend showing may well persuade Marco Silva to retain the same defensive set-up ahead of Saturday’s trip to the Emirates Stadium.

Ragnar Klavan, Dejan Lovren

Both players missed the 2-0 defeat to Hull City, with Ragnar Klavan unavailable due to illness, while Dejan Lovren was ruled out with a minor knock to his knee, amid reports he is set to undergo scans today.

The former, at least, is expected to be available to return against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, with Reds boss Jurgen Klopp expected to provide an update on their fitness in his pre-match press conference.

After Lucas Leiva struggled in central defence against the Tigers, the Liverpool manager will be desperate to have at least one of Klavan or Lovren fit to partner Joel Matip at the heart of the back four.

Should they both miss out, owners of Spurs trio Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli will be hopeful of returns. All three have been subject to sales since the weekend deadline after the north London club netted just once in the last two Gameweeks.

Wayne Rooney

The Manchester United captain missed Sunday’s 3-0 win over Leicester City due to illness.

He should stand a good chance of recovering time to be in contention to return against Watford on Saturday, although given the competition for places in the attacking midfield areas, and the form of the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Juan Mata, Rooney may well have to settle for a place on the bench.

Adnan Januzaj, John O’Shea, Jack Rodwell, Jordan Pickford

While Sunderland recorded an outstanding 4-0 win against Crystal Palace last weekend, there was some bad news for the Black Cats, with Adnan Januzaj, John O’Shea and Jack Rodwell all having to be replaced due to injuries.

Januzaj suffered a hip problem, while O’Shea and Rodwell picked up hamstring injuries.

Speaking after the match, Sunderland manager David Moyes provided an update on all three players:

“Januzaj came off with a hip injury. He played very well and he put in a great through ball for Jermain Defoe’s second goal. Jack came off feeling his hamstring and that would be a real blow for us because he’s been coming into some much better form… John O’Shea is feeling his hamstring a little bit too.”

It’s Rodwell who appears to be the biggest doubt ahead of Saturday’s home fixture against Southampton, then.

He was replaced by January signing Darron Gibson, and it’s the former Everton player, or Steven Pienaar, who appear most likely to come into the starting XI should Rodwell be ruled out.

Fabio Borini provides an alternative to Januzaj in the support striker role behind Jermain Defoe in the 3-5-1-1 formation Moyes has been favouring of late, while Joleon Lescott, or one of Sunderland’s full-backs, are likely to be on standby to replace O’Shea in central defence.

Clearly, though, Moyes will be desperate for Januzaj to recover. Handed a central support role, he seemed to flourish behind Defoe – a pair of assists at Selhurst Park was only the second time this season he has produced returns.

Reports today also confirm that Jordan Pickford has resumed full training following his recent knee injury.

The young stopper has missed five Gameweeks having been sidelined with ligament damage sustained in Sunderland’s defeat at Manchester United back on Boxing Day.

However, it’s reported that Pickford is now about to return to contention with the suggestion that he could even be considered for the home clash with Southampton this weekend.

Given the recent form of Vito Mannone, however, it’s suggested that Moyes will not rush Pickford back into action. Mannone has kept back-to-back clean sheets and made 32 saves since his introduction to the side back in Gameweek 19 – more than any other keeper over that period.

Claudio Yacob

West Bromwich Albion midfielder Claudio Yacob missed the 1-0 victory over Stoke City following concerns he’d suffered a suspected appendicitis.

Yacob was taken to hospital to undergo tests, but after it was revealed he was just suffering from stomach cramps, he was given the all clear, and was set to report for training yesterday.

Baggies head coach Tony Pulis handed Jake Livermore his first start against the Potters, and does now have an extra body in midfield to call upon, having had to rely on Yacob and Fletcher during the first half of the season.

Pulis will hopefully provide an update on Yacob’s condition later in the week ahead of the trip to the London Stadium.

Depending on the fitness of Jonny Evans, the Baggies boss could also shift James Morrison into a more withdrawn role and shift Chris Brunt into attacking midfield. Yet with a goal in three of the last five Gameweeks, the Scot looks set to retain his advanced position.