Tomas Rosicky is back for Arsenal’s home game with Everton, though Lukas Fabianksi is a doubt due to a rib injury. David Silva could return for City’s clash with Wigan tomorrow, while Micah Richards may be included in the squad, Michael Laudrup is keen to field Neil Taylor in the Swansea first XI before the season ends, while Sam Allardyce has problems in defence ahead of tomorrow’s match with United:
Arsene Wenger has revealed Tomas Rosicky has recovered from the hamstring problem that kept him out against Norwich and returns to the squad as Arsenal square up to Everton tonight. Given his recent displays, the Czech midfielder may well oust Jack Wilshere from the starting line-up – a theory backed up further by Wenger’s admission that he may have been a little hasty in handing Wilshere a start against Norwich after a few weeks on the sidelines with an ankle problem:
“I rushed Jack back a bit, he was not completely ready. How careful must I be? To listen well to the medical advice and that is what I have to do. Use him when everything is alright and listen to him as well, how he feels. He has been out for six weeks, so maybe it was a bit too rushed what I did. “
Elsewhere, Wenger gave Olivier Giroud’s owners cause for concern ahead of tonight’s kick-off. The Arsenal boss was full of praise for Lukas Podolski’s performance off the bench in the 3-1 comeback win over Norwich and with Santi Cazorla preferred on the left over the last few, Wenger conceded he is considering the German international for a central role after omitting him from the starting XI for each of the last eight league matches:
“Podolski was injured when we played at Bayern and won. After that, we won at Swansea…sometimes you have periods like that and I think he can play as a central striker as well. I work a lot with him as a central striker at the moment. He is a quality player and when he comes on you can see that straight away. You don’t get 100 caps by luck. Honestly he has a great attitude. He never moans, he never has a bad phase, he is always positive.”
The 16,000+ FPL managers who snapped up Lukas Fabianski ahead of Arsenal’s double last week were left sweating over his availability after Wenger conceded the Pole is a “major doubt” for this evening’s encounter. Fabianski has started each of the last four for the Gunners but is believed to have picked up a rib problem on Saturday – Wojciech Szczesny looks likely to replace his compatriot between the sticks against the Toffees if Fabianksi fails to recover in time. The Arsenal boss had this to say on the matter:
“I have total confidence, no matter who starts the game..Fabianski’s reflexes, his positioning and his decision-making has been great. We will decide as late as possible..[Szczesny has responded] really well. He worked very hard and worked very well. I do not want to make a case of it before the game. He’s handling the situation very well and in a positive way.”
David Silva could be set to return for City’s home clash with Wigan tomorrow evening. The Spaniard missed out on Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final win over Chelsea with a hamstring problem sustained against United last week but the club’s assistant boss David Platt has revealed:
“His chances are better than they were on Sunday. Had this been the last game of the season or the FA Cup final we might have risked David on the bench. He was there or thereabouts but not quite there. It would have been too big a risk on Sunday. That risk will be less so on Wednesday night but whether we take that, we will have to wait and see. We will make a decision on Tuesday.”
With three set of double figures in his last four home games, Silva has been particularly impressive at the Etihad and has started to finally deliver in what has proven a disappointing season for Roberto Mancini’s side. While there’s a chance he could rack up the points against the Latics, reports, however, suggest he could be saved for Sunday’s trip to Spurs as Mancini looks to keep City’s slim title hopes alive for another week. If both Manchester clubs win their respective games tomorrow night, City need a victory at White Hart Lane in order to avoid handing United the chance to clinch the title at home to Villa the following evening.
Micah Richards is also reported to be in the squad for the FA Cup Final dress rehearsal – his inclusion is sure to give Pablo Zabaleta’s owners cause for concern. The Argentine has started every match from Gameweek 13 onwards due to injuries to Richards and Maicon but with City set for a busy upcoming period, which includes a double Gameweek 36 and FA Cup Final, Mancini will utilise his squad as he looks to cope with a run of four games in 10 days at the start of next month. The City boss was also relieved to hear that Sergio Aguero will receive no retrospective disciplinary action for his two-footed lunge on David Luiz in Sunday’s cup semi-final – referee Chris Foy gave the Blues a free-kick at the time and will take no further action.
Michael Laudrup has confirmed he plans to field Neil Taylor in the Swansea first-team before the season is out. Speaking to the press yesterday, the Dane gave an update on the left-back’s progress:
“I think physically Neil is more or less there now. He played 90 minutes for the under-21s last week and he will play again tonight. After that it will just be about getting back up to Premier League level. It’s good for him. He is looking forward to coming back and I think we will see him in the first team before the season ends. That is our plan at least.”
Taylor has been sidelined since breaking an ankle in Gameweek 3, with his absence affording Ben Davies the chance to cement a regular role in the first XI. Somewhat frustratingly for Davies’ owners, the Swans are on the verge of a double Gameweek 36 but Laudrup’s intentions could well disrupt his game time – certainly, it’s enough to deter any would-be investors from snapping him up. Intriguingly, Laudrup hinted at his plans for next season – with the Welsh outfit also in Europe, it seems he will utilise his squad more regularly:
“Ben’s had a great season, but having him and Neil to choose from is a problem I like. I hope to have that kind of problem in every position next season. That’s what we need in the squad.”
Sam Allardyce has conceded West Ham have injury worries at the back ahead of tomorrow evening’s home match with United. In yesterday morning’s press conference, Allardyce revealed Mark Noble is “close to getting back” but also admitted:
“Our biggest concern injury-wise is with the defence. Winston Reid, James Tomkins and George McCartney leaves us a little thin on the ground for selection of defensive players. If none of them make it, Emanuel Pogatetz has to come into the team, and that leaves only young cover there which is slightly concerning when we’ve got three games in a week.”
Having played in part in every match until Gameweek 31, Reid has missed the last two with a thigh injury, allowing Tomkins to step in alongside James Collins at centre-half. The Hammers have been solid over the previous pair of fixtures, producing a clean sheet at Liverpool and conceding just once away to Southampton but Allardyce is clearly not convinced by the on-loan Pogatetz, handing him just one start since he arrived at Upton Park in January. Having ended his scoring drought away to Stoke on Sunday, Robin Van Persie owners will be confident of further returns if both Reid and Tomkins are ruled out tomorrow night.
Ahead of this evening’s match at the Emirates, David Moyes has praised the recent showings of Victor Anichebe:
“He has been terrific. The boy has an awful lot going for him and I’ve said many times he’s just needed to have a bit more self-confidence. I think he has a bit more to do but we have got signs of someone who could be an outstanding player. I think for Everton we need people who are getting in double figures (for goalscoring). We’ve really missed someone getting in the high teens with their goals. I hope he gets some more because it will help us until the end of the season.”
The Nigerian has now started each of the last four and with a goal and assist over the last couple of matches, has ousted Nikica Jelavic from the first-team reckoning. Considering Jelavic has a single goal to his name from Gameweek 17 onwards, Moyes’ need for a greater contribution up top is obvious – coming in at a mere 4.3 in FPL, Anichebe certainly looks nailed-on right now going by his manager’s praise and with Sunderland, Fulham and West Ham in the next four has the opportunity for further Fantasy returns.
Tottenham are awaiting an injury update on Younes Kaboul after reports indicated he was forced off in an Under 21 match against United last night due to a hamstring injury. The centre-half hasn’t played since Gameweek 1 due to a knee injury but had stepped up his recovery over the last few weeks, with Andre Villas-Boas easing him tentatively back into training. The Spurs boss had hoped to field Kaboul in the first-team before the season was out but last night’s setback could well see the Frenchman sidelined as a precautionary measure – with a double Gameweek still to be scheduled and the likes of William Gallas also injured, Michael Dawson – at just 4.4 in FPL – could well be worth a gamble over the last few matches, with the fixtures falling favourably for the north London outfit.
