Chelsea confirm John Terry is to be monitored after sustaining two cracked ribs. Roberto Mancini expects to welcome back Sergio Aguero, Joleon Lescott and Samir Nasri for the trip to Arsenal. Danny Guthrie is out for Newcastle, Pavel Pogrebnyak is struggling to be fit for Fulham, while Nani hints at a return for United via twitter:
John Terry is a doubt for Chelsea this weekend after being subbed off in last night’s Champions League win over Benfica due to an ongoing rib injury. The Blues skipper revealed he has been playing with a couple of cracked ribs and is struggling for breath during games. Ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Wigan and a Monday trip to neighbours Fulham, Terry conceded:
I couldn’t breathe and my chest was closing up. I was having a difficult time out there, especially in the first half. Hopefully I’ll be ok. I don’t know how long I’ll be out. I will have a scan in the morning and we will see where we go from there. It’s just horrible. When you get one in the ribs you can’t do anything about it, you can’t treat it, you just have let it heal, but I can get through games definitely. I thought it was ok but later in the second half it just seemed to be getting worse and I was struggling to breathe to be honest. It was difficult, I have never felt anything like that before.
Any period of absence is likely to cement first-team roles for David Luiz and Gary Cahill in the heart of Roberto Di Matteo’s back-four, with Terry unlikely to be risked as the London outfit brace themselves for a hectic upcoming schedule which sees them battle for the FA Cup and fourth place in the league, in addition to their European adventure. The club released a statement in the past hour on the situation, saying only:
Scans confirm that John has two cracked ribs sustained in last week’s game in Portugal. We have been able to manage it and will continue to do so. We’ll continue to monitor it on a daily basis and will assess him for upcoming games.
Roberto Mancini’s morning Press Conference contained some good news for Joleon Lescott’s Fantasy owners. The centre-half is expected to return for City’s crucial trip to Arsenal on Sunday, having missed the last four with a groin problem. Mancini also revealed Sergio Aguero has returned to training and should make the Gunners clash, while Samir Nasri is set to return against his old club, having been omitted from last week’s draw with Sunderland due to “tiredness”.
Danny Guthrie has been ruled out of Newcastle’s next couple of matches with a calf problem. The midfielder was subbed off just after the hour mark in last weekend’s win over Liverpool but will now miss the upcoming games against Swansea and Bolton. Having started the last three as Alan Pardew settles with a midfield trio, Guthrie’s absence could perhaps see the likes of Ryan Taylor afforded a first-team opportunity once again, with Dan Gosling another alternative for the Magpies boss to consider. Gabriel Obertan is out with a knock, while James Perch has also picked up a knock ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Swansea, with Pardew recalling James Tavernier from a loan spell at MK Dons as a result.
Nani took to twitter yesterday to give his followers an injury update. The winger has missed the last four for United with a knock but, spelling mistakes aside, has indicated he could be ready to return over the Easter programme, saying:
Felling good after these last training sessions and excited to be able to help the team in upcoming games
Matthew Kilgallon has recovered from an ankle problem that forced him off at the Etihad last weekend. The centre-half is expected to return for the weekend home clash against Tottenham, though both Lee Cattermole and Fraizer Campbell are doubts, having missed most of the week’s training due to knee problems.
Kenny Dalglish was more than a little vague in this morning’s Press Conference, when quizzed on an injury update. The Liverpool boss has been missing the likes of Dan Agger, Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly at the back but remained vague on their availability, going on to say:
Everybody that’s injured is progressing. There are one or two in with a shout for Saturday but we don’t know yet. Maybe one. I don’t think we’ve lost anyone else.
Pavel Pogrebnyak is set to undergo a late fitness test ahead of Fulham’s trip to Bolton, with Martin Jol revealing the Russian is “struggling”to overcome an ankle problem sustained in last week’s win over Norwich. Jol has also ruled Andrew Johnson out for a fortnight with a thigh injury- the Cottagers boss talked up the prospects of Orlando Sa and Marcello Trotta over the Easter period; the former has recovered from a hamstring knock, while the latter bagged a midweek hat-trick for the reserves. Jol also revealed he is against rotation over the Easter period, admitting:
I don’t think you’ll see a lot of rotation because we’re capable of playing two matches in three days. I will try and start with my best team against Bolton and I would like to do that in the second game against Chelsea on Monday night.
A potential absence for Pogrebnyak is an intriguing one for Fantasy managers. Jol has the option of moving Clint Dempsey into a more attacking role, with the likes of Kerim Frei offering cover on the left if the Cottagers boss wishes to do so.
Alan Hutton looks likely to return for Villa this weekend, as Alex McLeish’s side get ready for a trip to Anfield. The right-back looks likely to recover from heel and calf problems to takes his place in defence again, though Eric Lichaj’s goal and assist last week against Chelsea will surely have given McLeish food for thought. The Villa boss also revealed he is likely to be without Andreas Weimann, Carlos Cuellar and Charles N’Zogbia for the Merseyside clash, though is hopeful the trio will return in time for Monday evening’s match with Stoke.
