We roll out our usual Sunday evening look at the weekend’s new injuries, with City’s playmaker issuing positive news after being stretchered off during today’s win over West Ham.
Arsenal
Per Mertesacker is an early injury for the Gunners clash with Chelsea next Sunday after limping off on 63 minutes during the semi-final win over Reading. Arsene Wenger confirmed post-match:
“It’s an ankle injury. He limped badly so it doesn’t look too good really.
Aston Villa
Nathan Baker was replaced early on during the midlanders’ cup win over Liverpool today. After the match, Tim Sherwood confirmed he expects the defender to be ruled out for the rest of the campaign:
“We’ve not too big a squad and we’ve lost Nathan Baker today, Ciaran Clark last week, so we’ve got two fit centre backs. They did really well today, Jores Okore and Ron Vlaar. They’re the only two we’re going with between now an the end of the season, so we’re not blessed in defensive areas. It looks like Nathan’s season is over. It’s a really bad knee injury, and we know how long that normally takes.”
Chelsea
Jose Mourinho rolled out an update on Willian, after the winger was only fit enough to make the bench against United.
”Willian coming on was a bonus I wanted to give him, he’s been in bed for two days and today he came straight from his house, making himself available to give us some help, he was fantastic.”
Everton
James McCarthy is set to be assessed after sustaining an ankle knock in Saturday’s home win over Burnley.
Leicester
David Nugent was withdrawn from the starting XI as a precaution after picking up a calf problem during the warm-up prior to the Foxes win over Swansea.
Man City
David Silva was stretchered off during City’s win over West Ham after being elbowed by Cheick Kouyate. Refusing to blame the Senegal international. Manuel Pellegrini confirmed Silva – who needed several minutes’ treatment before leaving the field – was set for hospital scans:
“At this moment he is in hospital and they are checking if he has a broken bone in his cheek. I always think that a player doesn’t want to damage another player, the ref decided it was unintentional and I also think that.”
An hour later, though, Silva allayed fears of any injury by confirming he was given the all-clear:
“Many thanks to all the messages of support, all the tests have gone well and I’m already home.”
Post-match reports suggest Samir Nasri has sustained a leg problem after replacing Silva with quarter-of-an-hour left on the clock.
Southampton
Toby Alderweireld was stretchered off during the Saints loss at Stoke yesterday afternoon. The Belgian needed oxygen after sustaining a shoulder injury, with Ronald Koeman optimistic on his prospects post-match:
“Toby looks OK now. It’s his shoulder and we maybe have to wait until the scan or something else to know exactly what happened. It’s his shoulder but he’s back on his place and will be good I think.”
Stoke
Mark Hughes has confirmed that he is having to manage Peter Crouch’s pitch time over the run-in as a result of an ongoing groin problem. The big striker has failed to start the last three and was afforded just 15 minutes against Southampton yesterday, with his manager conceding:
“Crouchy is struggling with a groin problem at the moment and the likelihood is that he is going to need an operation once the season ends. At the moment he is probably only fit enough for 25 to 30 minutes at the end of games so we are having to be careful with how we utilise him.”
West Brom
Craig Dawson was replaced on 71 minutes during the Baggies win at Palace after picking up a knee injury, according to match reports.
