Roy Hodgson fears Chris Brunt may be set for an extended spell on the sidelines. Harry Redknapp awaits news on the extent of calf injuries to William Gallas and Sandro, while Bacary Sagna is reportedly ahead of schedule in his comeback from an ankle injury:
Spurs’ hard-fought win over West Brom last night came at price after William Gallas and Sandro both left the field with calf injuries. The pair are awaiting scans today and, while the severity of Gallas’ injury is yet unclear, Harry Redknapp revealed post-match that Sandro appears to have torn the muscle, with a long absence now expected. The injury problems racked up yesterday, with Jake Livermore, who came on as a sub for Sandro, also limping out of the Baggies clash. Scott Parker missed the game with a knee problem but is hopeful to be available for next week’s game with Everton.
Roy Hodgson has revealed Shane Long missed last night’s game at Spurs due to a back injury. While it is not thought to be serious, it could make the Irishman’s status questionable for the next few weeks. The Baggies boss admitted Chris Brunt is facing a prolonged spell on the sidelines after suffering an ankle injury against Everton. Hodgson is bracing himself for bad news over the playmaker’s availability:
He has a CT scan today – but we know it’s a serious injury. It’s just a question of the degree of seriousness.
David Moyes is hopeful that loan-signing Landon Donovan can hit the ground running against Bolton tonight. The Everton boss has revealed the American has trained well, looks sharp and is looking forward to getting on the field:
Fitness-wise he is not someone who carries a lot of weight. He is quite lightweight and he looks okay. He has settled in very quickly, so we look forward to getting him in the game and seeing how he does.
Reports suggest Arsene Wenger has been handed a defensive boost with the news that Bacary Sagna could return to the first team sooner than expected. Sagna has been missing since October with a broken ankle and may be fit to face Manchester United in gameweek 22.
Martin O’Neill received some positive injury news today, with both Craig Gordon and Michael Turner returning to reserve action this afternoon. Though their results on the pitch have been impressive, the Black Cats have struggled for options, with a few of O’Neill’s first-team squad struggling with injuries and illness of late.
Hatem Ben Arfa has voiced his frustration at not seeing more first team action for Newcastle this season. The Frenchman has declared himself ‘completely fit’, but believes that his playing style doesn’t suit that of manager Alan Pardew. While Fantasy managers are hopeful of more game time for the Frenchman when Demba Ba departs for the African Cup of Nations, Ben Arfa bemoaned
It’s true we don’t share quite the same philosophy. For him, it’s more crosses, a bit of a more direct style, whereas I’m more the kind of player who likes to play short passes.
Wigan striker Albert Crusat was helped off the pitch during last night’s defeat against Sunderland with a back injury. The Spaniard was replaced after 38 minutes by Victor Moses and was in some discomfort as he left the field. Roberto Martinez said:
We will assess Albert over the next 24 hours, but he couldn’t breathe when he came off so it is a worry.
Mick McCarthy’s first-team options have increased today, with the news that Michael Kightly has returned to Wolves after a three-month loan spell with Watford.
