When it comes to fretting over injuries, international breaks can be the scourge of Fantasy managers.
This one is no different and, in the case of Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Morata, we already have valid cause for concern. There’s also news of the very latest squad withdrawals, including another scare for owners of Phil Jones.
We collate all the new knocks and check in on Danny Rose’s fitness as Fantasy interest in Spurs defender Ben Davies gathers pace.
New Arrivals
Alvaro Morata’s early departure against Man City on Saturday evening has played a significant part in the Fantasy Premier league transfer market over the last couple of days.
The top target for transfers in ahead of Gameweek 7, Chelsea’s top scorer earned over 528,000 new owners prior to the visit from Pep Guardiola’s side only to limp out of proceedings in the first half.
Manager Antonio Conte gave us this optimistic post-match comment:
“It’s a muscular problem. I don’t think it’s a serious problem because he stopped before it will become a serious injury.
He said to me, ‘Coach, I prefer to stop myself otherwise I risk a bad injury.’
The doctor now in the next days has to check the situation, but I don’t think he’s available for the national team.”
The summer signing was seen limping after the Blues’ midweek win over Atletico Madrid and, despite declaring him fit on Friday’s press conference, Conte conceded that Morata’s inclusion against Pep Guardiola’s side had been somewhat risky.
The Blues’ boss also explained his thoughts on rotation as the schedule picks up pace:
“To play three games in seven days is not simple, above all for our wings-backs. Moses played two whole games against Stoke and Atletico. Marcos Alonso played one-and-a-half games, because against Stoke I changed him.
Then you have to try to not put your players in difficulty and not to risk this type of player, because Moses for us is an important player, and to play three games in only seven days, it means that you risk.
With Morata it was the same, but I made the decision to risk Morata in this game, because imagine if I decided to put Morata on the bench?”
Earlier today, Morata’s omission from the Spain squad was confirmed by the Spanish FA, who explained he has undergone an MRI scan:
“Alvaro Morata (Chelsea FC) (not selected) for a grade II myofascial injury to the hamstring muscles…(the medical services for Spanish football) have also performed a nuclear magnetic resonance to Alvaro Morata at the University Hospital Sanitas La Moraleja (Madrid) where the muscle injury has been detected cited above.”
Over 127,000 FPL managers have already parted company since the weekend deadline as many look to activate their Wildcards over the international break.
Morata sits just three points off the top of the FPL summit on the back of six goals and two assists in the first seven Gameweeks and is braced for an outstanding schedule upon his return.
The Blues face just two tough opponents – Man United and Liverpool in Gameweek 11 and 13 – between now and Gameweek 21, with Morata’s owners now set for a waiting game over the break in the hope that there is more news to come out of Stamford Bridge.
This is all the more pressing bearing in mind that a Grade two hamstring injury could mean anything between two and eight weeks out, according to various reports on Morata this afternoon. The Palace press are already counting him out of Gameweek 8.
This potential spell on the sidelines could possibly promote Michy Batshuayi (8.1) in our thinking, though many may also consider Eden Hazard as a big-hitting midfielder.
Eased back into contention over the first couple of months, he has now started back-to-back matches in all competitions in a central role after Conte tinkered with his tactics and moved to 3-5-1-1 to move him behind Morata up front.
Elsewhere, Matt Ritchie – one of the standout budget midfielders of the season so far – withdrew from the Scotland squad with a knock sustained playing for Newcastle against Liverpool yesterday.
Ritchie has four assists to his name already – all arriving in the last five Gameweeks – and currently sits in 6% of squads. Those owners will be hoping that his injury is one of those injuries that tend to materialise prior to internationals, given that he played from start to finish against the Merseysiders.
The uncertainty is clearly a pain for those currently on Wildcards, bearing in mind that Newcastle are pitted against Southampton, Palace, Burnley, Bournemouth, Watford and West Brom in the next seven round of fixtures.
Jese Rodriguez missed Stoke’s clash with Southampton having been granted compassionate leave by the club following the premature birth of his son Nyan earlier this summer.
His absence allowed Eric Choupo-Moting and Xherdan Shaqiri to strengthen their claim as budget midfield options with an assist apiece in the 2-1 win. A Gameweek 8 trip to Man City is enough of a deterrent but the schedule then eases considerably for Mark Hughes’ men after that, with Choupo-Moting – at just 5.6 – looking the pick of the Potters’ bunch.
Marko Arnautovic missed West Ham’s win over Swansea due to illness as Slaven Bilic tinkered with his tactics yet again. The Hammers’ boss rolled out a 4-4-2, with Andre Ayew and Michail Antonio on the flanks, but with Manuel Lanzini signalling his own return from injury with an appearance off the bench, the selection headache remains a real issue for the Croatian.
Scott Dann was spared Palace’s loss at Man United through injury. Roy Hodgson was also without James Tomkins through illness and will be desperate for one of that pair to recover in time to partner Mamadou Sakho as the Eagles attempt to thwart Chelsea in Gameweek 8.
Wilfried Bony has been passed fit to meet up with the Ivory Coast squad. The Swansea frontman was replaced at the break against West Ham as a precaution amid fears of a hamstring problem but scans have since allayed any concerns.
Earlier today, both Fabian Delph and Phil Jones sat out England training ahead of the World Cup qualifiers against Slovenia and Lithuania. Manchester City have since confirmed that Delph has withdrawn from the squad to be assessed back in Manchester. Phil Jones is also reported to have been withdrawn, resurfacing doubts over his fitness ahead of a Gameweek 8 clash with Liverpool.
Only on Friday it was claimed that Jones would miss out against Palace following Jose Mourinho’s press conference, only for the defender to start and earn his sixth clean sheet in seven.
Elsewhere for England, Harry Kane, Daniel Sturridge and Jordan Henderson also missed training with England today and took part in a recovery session instead.
And this evening there were reports that both Marouane Fellaini and Romelu Lukaku sat out training for Belgium. This appears precautionary as it is thought that Lukaku’s issue is the same problem suffered in training that made him a late doubt ahead of Saturday’s victory over Palace. The pair remain with the squad with the Belgium FA reportedly optimistic on their availability.
On Monday evening they published results of a scan on Lukaku’s ankle…
“Romelu Lukaku underwent an MRI scan but no fracture or structural damage has been diagnosed. In the next days he will follow an individual training programme. It is, however, too early to state that he won’t be match fit for the Bosnia and/or Cyprus game.”
While Belgian manager Roberto Martinez appears unmoved by Lukaku’s situation.
In Recovery
Over the weekend, reports in both the BBC and The Times have suggested that Sergio Aguero is in line for a quick return to action.
Ruled out of the weekend win at Chelsea after being involved in a car accident on Thursday evening, it is believed that the Argentine could recover from a rib injury in two-to-four weeks.
Taking the international break into consideration, then, these reports suggest that Aguero could be back no later than Gameweek 10, or perhaps even earlier.
Granted, Man City have yet to offer any update and considering that they emerged with the points at Stamford Bridge, Pep Guardiola won’t be taking any chances with his top scorer.
Aguero was transferred out by a massive 875,000+ FPL managers in light of his accident. With Wildcards in play over the next two weeks, he’s second only to Morata for sellers (111,000 to 118,000) as interest in Harry Kane escalates ahead of Spurs’ home clash with Bournemouth.
With Burnley and West Ham also to follow in the next three fixtures, a return to action for Aguero could force many a best-laid plan to be cast aside. Five goals, three assists and 40 points in his last three matches means that he remains the leading player in FPL, despite missing out against Antonio Conte’s men.
Leicester boss Craig Shakespeare rolled out a handy update on the fitness of Jamie Vardy after the striker was left out of England’s squad for the upcoming matches.
“The idea for us and England is that he comes back having had a little break and he is ready to go again.
I wasn’t privy to that (the conversation with England). The medical department spoke and it has never been questioned that Jamie wants to play for England and for Leicester.
It is time now to give him a break, to give him that rest and let him fully recover from the hip injury. He understands and I think all parties understand.”
Vardy has been receiving pain-killing injections after matches in order to overcome the problem, yet has still found time to find the net on five occasions.
After managing just a single attempt on goal away to Bournemouth on Saturday, it looks as if the break couldn’t come at a more opportune moment, allowing the frontman time to recuperate ahead of a home match with West Brom a fortnight this evening.
In spite of that blank at the Vitality, Vardy sits fifth among FPL forwards and, for many, leads the race as the third striker candidate – indeed, Chelsea’s Morata, at 10.4 to his 8.5, is the “cheapest” striker above him.
Furthermore, that clash with the Baggies signals an excellent run of matches for the Foxes – home encounters with Man City and Spurs in Gameweek 12 and 14 respectively are regarded as his only two tough fixtures in the subsequent 11.
Reports over the weekend have suggested that Danny Rose could be a fortnight away from a return for Spurs.
The left-back has failed to play since January with a knee problem, allowing Ben Davies to cement a spot on the teamsheet and rise to the top of the FPL defender standings on 49 points.
Even if Rose is fit, though, he faces a tough challenge to reclaim a regular role. Davies has served up two goals and three assists already and with his rival hinting at a move away over the summer, he’d be hard done by if he fell from favour.
The only guarantee is that a potential return for Rose would afford Pochettino the chance to rotate with a greater degree of confidence. His decision to bench Davies at home to Swansea in Gameweek 5 – the cause of much consternation for Fantasy managers – saw Son Heung-min initially stationed as a left wing-back as the hosts failed to break down Paul Clement’s side.
Davies is second only to team-mate Kane for transfers in since the weekend, earning over 89,000 new owners after serving up a third double-figure haul in seven appearances.
Jose Mourinho changed his tune on Paul Pogba’s hamstring problem in Friday afternoon’s press conference.
After previously indicating that he had no idea over the midfielder’s likely time on the sidelines, he then suggested than Pogba is not expected to be back in contention anytime soon:
“He’s injured, he cannot play [against Crystal Palace] and it’s not an injury that I can have the hope like I have with Antonio Valencia or Phil Jones.
I have the hope to see them in training and to have a positive answer, so long-term injuries I don’t speak about them.
So Ibra [Zlatan Ibrahimovic] and Pogba and Marcos Rojo, these players I don’t think about them.”
Marouane Fellaini was handed a 90-minute run-out for the third successive Gameweek in the Frenchman’s ongoing absence. The Belgian’s two-goal haul took him to 30 points for the campaign – that’s just one less than Pogba’s 31, despite playing 45 minutes less (315 to 360).
Priced at a mere 4.9, Fellaini’s importance to the United cause could prove crucial in the next few matches, with his side’s unbeaten start to the season set to be tested by clashes against Liverpool, Spurs and Chelsea in the next four Gameweeks.
Yet Mourinho has been notoriously cagey in the past with injury updates, which must still present an element of doubt and make Fellaini’s acquisition something of a punt. Of course, there’s also that cautionary report on Fellaini from the Belgium training camp today.
Things go from bad to worse for Palace’s new manager Roy Hodgson.
After heading into the break on the back of a chastening pair of losses to both Manchester clubs, the Eagles’ manager has conceded that Wilfried Zaha is now unlikely to be fit in time for the Gameweek 8 match against Chelsea.
With Christian Benteke still out for a number of weeks, though, Zaha – who was initially pencilled in for a return against the Blues – could yet find his way into a central striker role if he recovers in time.
Hodgson was forced to field Bakary Sako up front at Old Trafford, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek ruled out through injury. The latter is out of the Chelsea clash regardless, as he cannot play against his parent club.
Finally, Mesut Ozil and Laurent Koscielny both missed Arsenal’s routine win over Brighton on Sunday. Reports in the local press suggest that the duo, along with Danny Welbeck, could be back in contention in time for the Gameweek 8 trip to Watford.
