Newcastle have appealed Fabricio Colocciniβs weekend dismissal. Phil Jagielka is set to be sidelined until Christmas. Per Mertesacker is back for Arsenalβs cup clash with Sheffield Wednesday, though Stoke have slight concerns over Bojan due to an ongoing toe problem.
Newcastle appeal Coloccini Dismissal
Newcastle United have lodged an appeal against the red card awarded to Fabricio Coloccini during their 3-0 defeat to Sunderland. The Argentine centre-back was sent back to the dugout after flooring Steven Fletcher with a shoulder-to-shoulder collision as the Black Cats striker attempted to latch onto a through ball. Steve McClaren expressed his disgust at the refereeβs decision, affirming that the challenge wouldnβt justify a free-kick outside the area:
βI have seen lots of challenges like that in the game, in every game and, outside the box, they are never given. It’s a double whammy – a penalty and 10 men. It made it very difficult. We need an experienced referee for this and I think he was a little too quick to make a decision.”
The Scout Says: As it stands, Coloccini will miss the Magpiesβ home encounter against Stoke City next Gameweek, before returning for a trip to Bournemouth in Gameweek 12. McClaren is likely to turn to Jamaal Lascelles in the Argentineβs absence, though bearing in mind the Tyneside team have conceded at least twice in eight of the first ten Gameweeks, theyβve done little to justify investment at the back. In saying that, Daryl Janmaat sits top among defenders for shots on target (six) this campaign and has racked up a goal and assist so far, though with a mere 13 points to his name, the Dutchmanβs prospects have been dented by his sideβs defensive frailties.
Jagielka Sidelined for Toffees
Phil Jagielka faces eight to nine weeks on the sidelines after scans revealed that he sustained damage to medial ligaments in his knee during Evertonβs trip to Arsenal last weekend. Roberto Martinez relayed the news in a press conference on Monday, insisting that the prognosis isnβt half as bad as it couldβve been considering the nature of the incident that led to the injury:
βThe medial ligament is affected and itβs an injury that is quite straightforward. Itβs hard to tell [how long he will be sidelined for]. The medial ligament depends on what area there is damage to determine how quickly you can recover. At the moment we are going to make sure he gets the right course of treatment. I wouldnβt expect anything longer than eight to nine weeks. There is no other damage to the meniscus or the cartilage. The cruciates [ligaments] are very strong. After the game, we expected the worst especially the way the injury happened and rotating the knee – it could have been anything.β
The Scout Says: Jagielkaβs long-term absence opens the door for Ramiro Funes Mori to establish a run of starts. The Argentine defender is priced in line with John Stones (5.5) and presents an intriguing route into a Toffees rearguard thatβs primed for a sensational run of fixtures up to the New Year, which includes a spate of favourable home match-ups (SUN, AVL, CRY, LEI, STO). In his final year at River Plate, Funes Mori bagged six goals in 50 outings in all competitions, courtesy of his aerial prowess and powerful free-kicks. Given that Stones has notched just one goal in over 4000 Premier League minutes, Funes Mori certainly looks like the choice route into Evertonβs back line for those Fantasy managers shopping on a budget. Leighton Baines β whoβs closing in on a return from injuryβ comes in at 0.7 more expensive than the new centre-back partnership but is arguably now under-priced with regards to attacking potential, given he racked up two goals and nine assists last term.
Mertesacker Back for Gunners
Per Mertesacker has recovered from an illness that prevented him from playing in last weekendβs win over Everton. The German defender will be available for selection when Arsenal travel to Sheffield Wednesday for their Capital One Cup clash this evening:
The Scout Says: In light of Gabrielβs competent displays at centre-back and Arsenalβs involvement in all cup competitions, Mertesackerβs risk of rotation β heβs started just five of the first ten Gameweeks – will likely discourage prospective investors from recruiting the attractively priced (5.3) German international. Nonetheless, Gunners defenders will be in even higher demand from Gameweek 13, which beckons in a quartet of fixtures (wba, nor, SUN, avl) that look ripe for clean sheets. In spite of Laurent Koscielnyβs goal against Everton, Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal lead the way for FPL points amongst Gunners defenders so far. Although the Frenchman has amassed more attempts (six compared to three) and shots on target (three to one) than the two full-backs combined, Koscielny inevitably fashioned far fewer key passes (three), compared to Bellerin and Monreal, who have created ten and 12 key passes respectively as Arsene Wenger affords both license to bomb forward time and again.
Bojan Concern for Potters
Mark Hughes said that Bojan Krkic is a minor doubt for the Potters trip to Newcastle this weekend as he contends with a blistered toe. Elsewhere in the Staffordshire clubβs camp, Marc Muniesa is touch-and-go for a home League Cup clash against Chelsea this evening due to a thigh knock, while Geoff Cameron only suffered a grade-one thigh-tear last time out against Watford, meaning he could be passed fit for the St Jamesβ Park showdown. Hughes also confirmed his intentions to allow Ryan Shawcross to step up his rehabilitation with a start against the Blues.
βRyan is an option for us. He needs games now, so he’s very much in my thoughts. We need to get him up to speed after a couple of under-21 games and he’s obviously chomping at the bit. He needs to play games and tomorrow is an opportunity.”
The Scout Says: Despite the fact that Bojan lays claim to a relatively poor shot frequency (one every 49.4 minutes) and suffers from his classification as a forward in the Fantasy Premier League, his two goals in five starts (383 minutes) mark a strong return for a 5.3-priced budget pick-up. Although he profits from being the first-choice penalty taker at present, Stokeβs unforgiving batch of fixtures beyond Gameweek 11 (CHE, sou, sun, MCI, whu, CRY, MUN, eve) diminishes Bojan’s appeal as a value third striker. Shawcrossβ imminent return is likely to see either Cameron or Philipp Wollscheid make way in the heart of defence. The Potters have conceded just three times in the last four since Wollscheid was handed a run of starts but considering those upcoming fixtures, Hughes will certainly be keen to have his skipper back on board as they look to recover from last weekendβs surprise loss to Watford.
Mbokani Doubtful for Canaries
Dieumerci Mbokani looks set to be sidelined for Norwichβs trip to Everton in the Capital One Cup due to illness.
The Scout Says: Mbokani netted for the Canaries against Leicester City in Gameweek 8 and, having also scored in the following weekβs loss at Newcastle, has since wrestled control of their lone-striker berth, displacing Cameron Jerome from the starting XI. Despite only clocking 270 minutes for the Norfolk outfit this term (compared to Jeromeβs 613), the DR Congo international has already matched his counterpartβs haul of shots on target (four) and is firing off attempts at a greater frequency (one every 30 minutes compared to 36.1 minutes) β bolstering his case for a sustained run of starts. In terms of Mbokaniβs Fantasy appeal, Norwichβs brutal schedule through to Boxing Day (mci, SWA, che, ARS, wat, EVE, MUN, tot) deters investment until the turn of the year, with Watford’s Odion Ighalo remaining the stand out candidate in the budget bracket up top.
