We check up on the latest internationals over the last couple of days now, assessing the standout performers, main points of note and injury news.
Tomorrow, we’ll also roll out the first part of a team-by-team recap, checking the minutes played and miles travelled ahead of the weekend deadline.
As Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola prepare to go head-to-head for the first time in England, there were some encouraging displays from players on both sides of Manchester over Monday and Tuesday.
United’s Gameweek 3 match-winner Marcus Rashford underlined his prodigious talents by bagging a hat-trick in England U21s 6-1 thrashing of Norway last night.
It’s fair to say that David Silva is also a man in form ahead of the Manchester derby.
The playmaker scored twice in Spain’s 8-0 win over Liechtenstein on Monday evening, taking his tally to four goals and an assist in just two international appearances.
His City team-mate Nolito also caught the eye, supplying a trio of assists for Julen Lopetegui’s team, whilst Nicolas Otamendi bagged a late leveler for Argentina away to Venezuela.
Diego Costa and Romelu Lukaku both threw their hats in the ring as replacements for the suspended Sergio Aguero by bagging a brace apiece.
Costa’s double in Spain’s thrashing of Liechtenstein shows just why over 168,000 Fantasy Premier League managers have drafted him in this week.
Lukaku scored twice in Belgium’s 3-0 win over Cyprus last night and, with a mere 7% ownership, is shaping up to be a real differential ahead of some superb fixtures for Everton.
Eden Hazard and Philippe Coutinho sits first and second in terms of most-owned midfielders and the duo kept their domestic form ticking over by supplying assists for Belgium and Brazil respectively.
Coutinho’s Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane rolled out a handy injury update yesterday, confirming he is available for selection after being withdrawn for Senegal earlier in the week:
“I’m fit. It’s true I got a little kick in the back of the knee, but it was nothing special – it happened in the first half and I played for the rest of the game. I’d spoke with the coach and because we have new players, he wanted to try [them] and change me, so the substitution was not due to injury.I spoke to the coach [Klopp] and told him everything was OK, I am 100 per cent fit and there was nothing specific [to report]. After the game, I went to the airport to take a flight. When I reached Paris the following morning, I had many messages on my phone with people and my family asking what happened because they saw in the press I had an injury. I said to them, ‘no, no, I am okay!’.”
Southampton’s Dusan Tadic finally translated his underlying numbers to returns – for Serbia. The playmaker, who has produced nine shots and 10 key passes without success over the first three Gameweeks, grabbed a goal and assist in his nation’s 2-2 draw with Republic of Ireland on Monday – a match that saw Seamus Coleman and John O’Shea return from injury ahead of the weekend.
Coleman’s availability now places major question marks over Mason Holgate’s pitch time for the Toffees, whilst it’s a similar situation over at Swansea. Neil Taylor played the full 90 minutes for Wales and, now match fit, could be set to oust Stephen Kingsley – who sits third for transfers in amongst defenders this season – to the bench against Chelsea on Sunday.
Palace’s Wayne Hennessey also recovered from injury to turn out for Chris Coleman’s side but faces a tough task to oust Steve Mandanda as the Eagles’ number one ahead of the trip to Middlesbrough.
Burnley boss Sean Dyche was handed a timely boost ahead of Saturday’s home match against Hull, with new signing Jeff Hendrick and frontman Sam Vokes both getting amongst the goals for Ireland and Wales respectively.
Stoke City’s Marko Arnautovic bagged an assist in Austria’s 2-1 win over Georgia, whilst Potters’ new boy Joe Allen got on the scoresheet as Wales thrashed Moldova on Monday evening.
Mame Biram Diouf returned from international duties with a tight hamstring, which suggests that new loan signing Wilfried Bony could be in line make his debut at home to Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.
Meanwhile, according to the Telegraph, the visitors are monitoring the fitness of Danny Rose after the left-back picked up a hamstring strain in England’s 1-0 win over Slovakia on Sunday evening.
