Danny Welbeck and Wayne Rooney are amongst the scorers as England sweep aside San Marino. Stevan Jovetic limps off for Montenegro. Daniel Sturridge is back in full training for Liverpool. Laurent Koscielny pulls out of the France squad with an Achilles complaint. Everton’s Ross Barkley is set to return to training next week, though team-mate John Stones is sidelined for up to four months with ankle ligament damage.
Welbeck in the Goals Again
The Arsenal striker scored for the seventh time in eight appearances for club and country as England swept aside San Marino. Wayne Rooney slotted home a spot-kick and saw a deflected effort find the net, whilst Phil Jagielka and Andros Townsend completed the scoring in a 5-0 win for the Three Lions. Roy Hodgson was careful with the pitch time of Raheem Sterling and Jordan Henderson, though, and subbed off both Liverpool players at the break.
The Scout Says: While Rooney remains off the radar as he prepares to serve the second of a three-math ban, Welbeck served a timely reminder of his goal-getting abilities. Although he’s yet to fire on all cylinders in the league – frustratingly, just a single goal in six appearances – his form overall certainly suggests he’s approaching the Gunners’ upcoming run of fixtures filled with confidence. At 7.3 in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game, he’s now been drafted in by over 43,000 managers this week – more than any other forward – and with a schedule that sees him face just two of last term’s top eight in the next nine Gameweeks, his growing band of owners will be confident he can translate that form to the Premier League when action gets back under way a week tomorrow.
Chelsea Pair Feature in Spain Defeat
Both Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas played from start to finish as Spain suffered a shock 2-1 loss in Slovenia. City’s David Silva began the match before being subbed off on 71 minutes, whilst Arsenal’s Santi Cazorla was afforded 10 minutes off the bench late on.
The Scout Says: Jose Mourinho may have been somewhat cautious with his star forward’s pitch time but, given last night’s result, Vicente del Bosque can ill-afford to be without Costa for Sunday’s trip to Luxembourg. Despite fears of an ongoing hamstring injury, the frontman looks likely to start once again as Spain attempt to get their qualifying campaign back on track and his Fantasy owners will be resigned to another night of worry as we wait for the domestic action to resume. On the positive side, though, bearing in mind he started three back-to-back matches for Chelsea prior to the break, it seems Costa’s hamstring problem isn’t quite as bad as Mourinho has insisted, boosting our hopes he’ll emerge unscathed ahead of the Blues’ trip to Palace.
Jovetic Worry for City
Stevan Jovetic lasted just over 70 minutes of Montenegro’s goalless draw with Liechtenstein before limping out of the proceedings last night.
The Scout Says: After starting each of the first three league matches, Jovetic has since failed to feature due to a hamstring injury. Indeed, the forward only just returned to action last week for City and was handed six minutes as a sub in the Champions League draw with Roma. Whilst there’s no official prognosis on the problem, Manuel Pellegrini will no doubt be concerned over the situation, given the player’s injury history. With Alvaro Negredo farmed out on loan, Pellegrini has been cautious with Edin Dzeko’s pitch time and has subbed off the Bosnian around the hour mark in each of the last two in all competitions – Sergio Aguero, on the other hand, continues to benefit and is looking more assured of minutes as the weeks go by; a scenario that’s helping him become more influential on our Fantasy seasons, with five goals in the opening seven Gameweeks.
Koscielny Concern for Gunners
Just 24 hours after Mesut Ozil was ruled out for three months, Arsene Wenger’s injury worries intensified after Laurent Koscielny withdrew from the France squad with a recurrence of an ongoing Achilles complaint.
The Scout Says: Given that France are hosts of Euro 2016 and therefore face a couple of friendlies over the next few days – as opposed to qualifiers – Koscielny has been allowed to return to the Emirates for treatment. The problem is believed to be minor, but with Calum Chambers serving a one-match suspension and Mathieu Debuchy sidelined for months, Wenger can ill-afford any more call-offs right now. The versatile Nacho Monreal would be the obvious replacement if Koscielny is indeed ruled out of the Gameweek 8 home encounter with Hull, with Hector Bellerin filling in at right-back, though the 4.6-priced Chambers – providing he can curtail his penchant for picking up yellows – still looks the value route into the Gunners’ defence ahead of the aforementioned run of matches.
Martinez Rolls Out Lengthy Toffees Injury Update
The Everton boss had plenty to discuss at yesterday’s press briefing. Martinez confirmed John Stones is set to be sidelined for 10-14 weeks after sustaining ankle ligament damage against Man United last weekend, though Sylvain Distin is available after missing out in recent weeks. The hamstrung Kevin Mirallas remains out “for a few weeksâ€, while both Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy will continue to be monitored due to soft tissue injuries, with their manager only stating “I expect them to play some part in the next block of six gamesâ€.
Martinez had better news on Ross Barkley, though, after confirming the young midfielder is set to return to training at the start of next week:
“On Monday we expect Ross, with the green light from the medical department, to join the group. Now it’s a matter of getting him match fitness and getting him up to speed. Ross has been working really, really well and I don’t expect any setbacks. I expect Ross, from now on, to have a real clear path to get his match fitness back….in probably a couple of weeks we should be able to see Ross in the squad.”
The Scout Says: Stones’ injury, allied with Distin’s availability, will perhaps raise further question marks over the Merseysiders’ ability to deliver clean sheets. The Toffees have conceded 13 goals in four league matches with the Frenchman in the starting XI, compared to three goals against in the other three Gameweeks. With Villa, Burnley, Swansea, Sunderland and West Ham in the next five, though, Martinez’ side could barely ask for a kinder schedule, but unless they can improve their resilience, Leighton Baines’ owners may have to rely on attacking returns once again. Barkley’s imminent return may also bring Steven Naismith’s pitch time into question. The Scot has started all but one of the opening seven Gameweeks due to Barkley’s knee injury absence but it’s worth noting he started just 13 league matches last year when the youngster was fully fit. With the Europa League schedule also ensuring more rotation, Naismith owners may soon be considering another budget forward, and with a number of alternatives all delivering this season, we’ve no shortage of options right now.
Mixed News for Liverpool
Reports in yesterday’s press suggest Daniel Sturridge has returned to full training ahead of Liverpool’s Gameweek 8 trip to QPR. Brendan Rodgers’ defensive problems show no sign of abating, though, after Dejan Lovren was ruled out of Croatia’s upcoming internationals after sustaining an abdominal injury in training.
The Scout Says: The Sturridge news will be a huge relief for the Liverpool boss, whose side have won just once in four league matches without their main man, compared to two victories in three with the former Chelsea man on board. Owned by just 9% of FPL managers, Sturridge looks an excellent differential ahead of a run which pits the Merseysiders against QPR, Hull, Newcastle, Palace and Stoke in the next six, whilst his expected return also bodes well for Raheem Sterling’s prospects. The teenager clearly benefits from Sturridge’s pace and ability to stretch defences and scored twice in three appearances before the striker succumbed to injury – he’s since netted just once in the subsequent four. At the back, Rodgers will be desperate for Lovren to recover, bearing in mind that Mamadou Sakho is struggling to overcome a thigh injury. Both players’ absence would hand Kolo Toure the chance of a rare start and suggests Liverpool could struggle to improve upon a record of just one clean sheet in the opening seven so far.
Baggies Options Up Front Increase
Alan Irvine confirmed that Brown Ideye is “almost certain†to return to training on Monday, whilst Victor Anichebe also stands a good chance of recovering from a groin injury as West Brom’s striker crisis starts to ease.
The Scout Says: Saido Berahino has certainly taken advantage of the recent injury problems. Shifted from the right of a 4-2-3-1 to the lone striker role, the youngster has netted three times in the last two matches, and with penalty duties also boosting his appeal, has made a strong case as one of the best budget striker options around. Given the outlay on record signing Ideye, in particular, Irvine may well be tempted to eventually return Berahino to a role on the flank, though for now, he still looks in pole position to retain the central berth ahead of matches against Palace, Leicester and Newcastle in the next four.
Jenkinson Hamstring Worry
West Ham’s on-loan right-back was forced to withdraw from England Under-21 duties yesterday with a recurrence of the hamstring problem that has plagued his pitch time this season.
The Scout Says: Bearing in mind Jenkinson only managed to make his first start of the season in Gameweek 7, Sam Allardyce will be a little concerned by yesterday’s news. With Joey O’Brien and Guy Demel also sidelined, the Hammers boss is limited for options – while he could potentially shift James Tomkins over to the right to cover, James Collins is also injured after pulling out of the Wales squad, leaving the likes of Dan Potts as possible options in the centre alongside Winston Reid. The Hammers registered a first clean sheet of the campaign last time around, and with Burnley, Stoke and Villa in the next four, the likes of Tomkins, in particular, has arrived on radars, though his owners will be hoping the injuries clear and boost his chances of further defensive returns.
