Sir Alex Ferguson hints at concerns over Robin Van Persie’s fitness levels. Micah Richards and Maicon step up their injury recoveries ahead of the Manchester derby, Jermain Defoe is sidelined with a muscle injury for Spurs, while Roberto Martinez praises his players’ character after the weekend win over Norwich:
Sir Alex Ferguson took time out to discuss his plans for United’s four forwards over the remainder of the season yesterday. With United set to entertain City at Old Trafford on Monday evening, their manager revealed:
“I’ve no worries about Rooney because he’s needing games, he’s the kind of player who has to play all the time. With Van Persie, we have to monitor it because we still don’t know all about Robin, and the kind of seasons he’s had. I don’t think he had a season of such intensity during his time at Arsenal, so we’ll have to look at that. Welbeck’s looking strong as well, as is Chicharito.”
While it seems unlikely that Ferguson will omit Van Persie from the United starting XI for the top of the table showdown, it may well be that he intends to utilise the Dutchman more sparingly if his side clinch the title in the next few matches. A win over City would lead United 18 points ahead with seven games remaining – they would then need a maximum four points in double Gameweek 33 away to Stoke and West Ham in order win the league; achieve that, and Ferguson may hands the likes of Hernandez more game time alongside Rooney and take Van Persie out the firing line. Having scored just once in the last seven for United, the summer signing’s goals have all but dried up – while Ferguson’s words will certainly have Van Persie’s 37% of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) owners on edge, there’s no doubt his omission from the United XI would provide a fascinating twist in the final few Gameweeks of the Fantasy season.
City defensive duo Micah Richards and Maicon stepped up their recoveries from injury last night by turning out for the club’s Under 21 side. Richards, who has failed to feature since Gameweek 9 after sustaining a knee injury, was fielded at centre-half and was eased back into action with a 45 minute first-half run out. Maicon, who has played 35 minutes in the league from Gameweek 16 onwards due to a similar complaint, lasted just over an hour before being subbed off as planned. While their comebacks are surely too soon to see either involved for Monday’s Manchester derby, the pair could be pushing for game time shortly – something of a worry for Pablo Zabaleta’s owners, given the Argentine has started every match from Gameweek 13 onwards due to a lack of competition for the right-back berth.
Andre Villas-Boas has revealed Jermain Defoe is set to be sidelined for Tottenham’s next couple of matches:
“He has a muscle injury that is definitely going to take him out of the next two games, and maybe Basel away. If he can’t make Basel away he should be fit for that week when we prepare for Manchester City. It’s a big blow. It’s not the same muscle as before. He had a small tear last month but it’s on the other side [leg] now. Obviously it’s a big miss, he has showed tremendous quality for us this season.”
Defoe’s absence gives Emmanuel Adebayor further opportunity in the lone forward role in Sunday’s home clash with Everton. Despite scoring a mere two league goals all season, the Togo international has now started four of the last five ahead of Defoe, with Villas-Boas’ decision to move Gareth Bale centrally denting the former West Ham forward’s game time. Given that Defoe has scored just once since Gameweek, the north London club’s reliance on Bale has been all too apparent over the last few months, with eight goals now accrued in his last eight league games. The Spurs boss admitted he intends to keep fielding the Welshman through the middle, going on to say:
“With his run of form, as a striker he is most effective. He is extremely comfortable playing as a striker. The more he plays there the more he is likely to be helping the team.”
Roberto Martinez has heaped praise on the Wigan XI that saw off Norwich at the DW last weekend. The 1-0 win earned the Latics their first home clean sheet of the season, with their manager enthusing:
“I don’t think we were stylish as we normally are, but what we showed is an incredible character. Every player found a way to help the team to keep Norwich very quiet. To restrict any team in the Premier League to no shots on target requires massive effort. And then it was that little bit of quality at the other end. The character we showed made it probably our most pleasing and satisfying performance of the season. It was a team effort with tired legs doing everything needed to get us over the finish line”
Having won five of the last six games in all competitions, Martinez’s side are now through to the FA Cup semi-final and have climbed out the drop zone with eight matches remaining. The last three fixtures, in particular, have seen the Wigan boss ring the changes and bring some new names onto Fantasy radars; Joel Robles, Jordi Gomez and Callum McManaman have edged Ali Al-Habsi, James McArthur and Franco Di Santo onto the bench and with Paul Scharner returning on loan and Antolin Alcaraz fit and available after long-term injury, Martinez has changed half of his starting XI in recent matches. Robles, in particular, has sprung onto Fantasy radars – since getting the nod ahead of Al-Habsi for the FA Cup quarter final win at Everton, he has conceded once in three matches and at 4.0 in FPL, is already being eyed in in advance ahead of the Latics’ double Gameweek 36.
