Until Sunday’s events at Turf Moor, the array of injury concerns to fall out of Gameweek 4 appeared insignificant for Fantasy managers.
But Tom Heaton’s suspected dislocated shoulder comes as a major blow for all concerned.
We provide the latest on that setback for Burnley, along with the catalogue of knocks from Gameweek 4.
Looking ahead, we also dig out the very latest on the key players soon to return from injury – possibly for Gameweek 5 – and what that means from a Fantasy perspective.
New Arrivals
Burnley’s first clean sheet of the season came at a significant cost after Tom Heaton – the top scoring goalkeeper in 2016/17 – was stretchered off with a potentially long-term injury.
Manager Sean Dyche was far from optimistic after Heaton was replaced on 35 minutes of the 1-0 win over Crystal Palace:
“It’s a suspected dislocated shoulder. We’ll have to wait and see. That’s the downside of the day because he’s been fantastic for us. If it is that, it’s obviously not weeks, it’s months, so we will have to wait and see.
I don’t know, I’m not a medic, but I imagine it’s not a few weeks, that’s for sure. It was a shame because I thought there was a foul before that, so it shouldn’t have led to that, but that’s a small thing.
Whatever happens with Tom, we’ll take care of him and it allows the next one in.”
That “next one”, as Dyche puts it, is Nick Pope, who is Burnley’s new number two after veteran Paul Robinson retired over the summer.
His manager hailed Pope’s display against Palace, with the former Charlton man making three saves to deny Frank de Boer’s side a share of the spoils:
“Technically, that was a fantastic save. He shortened the pitch to go at the ball and I thought he did very well.”
Heaton’s expected absence is likely to dent Burnley’s clean sheet potential, given that he made more saves than any stopper last season. Yet Pope boasts a decent record for the club – he’s conceded just one goal in six appearances across all competitions since the start of the previous campaign.
Trips to Liverpool, Everton and Man City in the next five are hardly conducive to defensive returns, yet the Clarets’ upcoming home matches (HUD WHU NEW SWA ARS WAT STO) suggests that Pope, at 4.5 in FPL, could profit as a rotation option for those keen to invest in the Clarets’ rearguard.
Another goalkeeper, Manchester City’s Ederson, has confirmed that he “is fine” after being stretchered off during the win over Liverpool following his collision with Sadio Mane. While the Brazilian could be left out of Man City’s line-up for Wednesday’s Champions League tie in Feyenoord, we’d expect him to make the teamsheet for the trip to Vicarage Road in Gameweek 5.
Elsewhere Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin (hamstring) has already been ruled out of the weekend trip to Chelsea.
Bournemouth’s Ryan Fraser (ankle injury) was also forced off during that Emirates clash and is set to be assessed ahead of Friday’s clash with Brighton.
And the Seagulls are monitoring right-back Bruno, who was withdrawn with a recurrence of an ongoing back complaint.
Among the latest batch of new injuries are Spurs’ Moussa Sissoko (calf), Stoke’s Geoff Cameron, (hamstring) Man United’s Marouane Fellaini (calf) and West Brom midfielder Nacer Chadli (knock).
Watford defensive pair Kiko Femenia and Younes Kaboul, are also early doubts for Gameweek 5. Despite those concerns, Femenia is second only to Spurs’ Ben Davies for transfers in among defenders following his third successive clean sheet and two-point bonus haul in the Hornets’ win at Southampton.
Earlier today, Danny Drinkwater was rated as a doubt for Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Qarabag due to a calf complaint.
Meanwhile, Ruben Loftus Cheek’s owners were left frustrated after a non-appearance in Palace’s loss at Turf Moor. Still sitting in 8% of squads, the on-loan midfielder appeared poised to feature on Sunday but was presumably not considered fit enough to make the squad following a groin injury.
In Recovery
Philippe Coutinho’s return to the Liverpool fray couldn’t be better timed in light of team-mate Mane’s subsequent three-match ban for the challenge on Ederson.
Jurgen Klopp explained why he left the Brazilian out of his squad on Saturday:
“It was a decision made with the season in mind, he came back from a long flight, after two substitute appearances and three weeks without training.
We play on Wednesday; we play on Saturday, we play, play, play, play, play. I will have the situation all the time now over the next three or four weeks.
We thought it best to give him three or four days proper training and then he’ll be available for us, which is very good news.”
Coutinho is now likely to earn minutes in the midweek Champions League clash against Sevilla, with Klopp clearly having one eye on the left wing role vacated by Mane ahead of the weekend visit from Burnley.
Owned by just 2% of FPL managers, Coutinho could now emerge as a powerful differential as the Reds also face a trip to Leicester City prior to Mane’s return. A massive 280,000+ have now parted company with the Senegal international, who won’t be available until Gameweek 7, when Liverpool make their way to Newcastle United.
According to reports, though, Liverpool may appeal the extent of Mane’s ban, which currently sits at three matches.
Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk is set to step up his match fitness by turning out for the reserves this evening.
The Dutchman’s availability would hand Mauricio Pellegrino a dilemma in defence as he looks to address a poor recent run that has seen the Saints concede twice in two of the last three Gameweeks.
Pellegrini chose to drop Maya Yoshida for Saturday’s clash following his international exertions with Japan, partnering Jake Stephens with big-money debutant Wesley Hoedt. With Van Dijk about to join the mix, the competition for places in the heart of Southampton’s defence merely strengthens the case of Cedric Soares (5.0) at right-back.
Yet their recent lack of resilience may be enough to trigger a Fantasy exodus, despite some very favourable fixtures to come.
Crystal Palace’s Mamadou Sakho – along with Pape Souare – also boosted his match fitness by playing 45 minutes for the club’s reserves earlier today.
Sakho’s imminent return, allied with the departure of Frank de Boer, could force a reassessment of the Eagles’ Fantasy prospects – they claimed four clean sheets in the Frenchman’s eight starts in 2016/17. Yet an evil upcoming run that includes clashes against both Manchester clubs and Chelsea in the next four, is enough of a deterrent for now.
West Brom’s Gareth McAuley is also edging towards a first-team return. Back in training last week as he steps up his recovery from a thigh complaint, the Irishman will turn out for the reserves against Brighton this evening.
After seeing his side fall to a 3-1 loss to a Seagulls’ outfit that had failed to score in their opening three matches, Tony Pulis may well freshen things up for the visit of West Ham.
McAuley’s potential comeback could now put pressure on Ahmed Hegazi’s starting role in the heart of the back-four. The most bought player in FPL so far, the 28%-owned Egyptian was hauled off on 56 minutes at the Amex with his side 2-0 down, returning zero points.
Even without McAuley, Pulis has many configurations available in his back four following Kieran Gibbs’ arrival – including the set-up that ended the match at the Amex Stadium. That saw Craig Dawson alongside Jonny Evans, with Allan Nyom and Gibbs at full-back.
We’re still awaiting further updates on the fitness of Vincent Kompany, who missed Man City’s win over Liverpool due to a groin injury. In his pre-match press conference on Friday, Pep Guardiola was somewhat vague:
“I am sad. The last seven eight, nine games last season he played no problem. Pre-season, we took care of him, and he played all three games. Now, unfortunately, we’ve lost him, but we will try and get him fit as soon as possible.”
With City set to travel to Holland on Wednesday, Guardiola’s pre-Champions League briefing tomorrow could hopefully shed a little more light on the situation.
The Spaniard’s decision to revert back to a three-man rearguard and utilise Danilo as a central defender raised a few eyebrows. Should the same set-up remain, there’s arguably less chance of rotation in the wing-back roles for Benjamin Mendy and Kyle Walker if the Brazilian continues to deputise for his stricken skipper.
Finally, Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe revealed late last week that winger Junior Stanislas is “a week or two” away from finally overcoming a hernia problem.
The return of Stanislas – who averaged 5.1 points per match last season – could convince Howe to return to a 4-2-3-1 set-up after the Cherries boss rolled out a wing-back system, with full-backs Charlie Daniels and Adam Smith on the flanks, in each of the last couple of Gameweeks.
