The final international break of 2021 gets underway on Wednesday and we’ll be bringing you our usual club-by-club guide to which Fantasy Premier League (FPL) players are away with their respective countries later today.
We’ll also be keeping tabs on any injury and illness news that emerges over this fortnight hiatus, documenting the fitness issues on this page and refreshing it on a daily basis until we reach the point of the pre-match press conferences next Thursday and Friday.
TINO LIVRAMENTO/JAMES WARD-PROWSE/ARMANDO BROJA
Fantasy Premier League’s highest owned budget defender, Tino Livramento (£4.5m), withdrew from the England under-21 squad on Monday.
No further information has been provided on the youngster’s injury but he did play the full 90 minutes against Aston Villa last Friday without displaying any obvious signs of a problem.
James Ward-Prowse (£6.3m) will miss England’s two World Cup qualifying matches against Albania and San Marino due to illness, meanwhile. It’s not yet clear whether it’s Covid; teammate Nathan Redmond (£5.9m) sat out Gameweek 11 as a result of a positive test.
Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe (£5.8m) has been called up to replace Ward-Prowse.
Albania international Armando Broja (£5.0m) will not be involved in Friday’s game against England, either, after picking up a muscle problem. He remains with his national team for the time being, however.
SADIO MANE
Sadio Mane’s (£11.9m) first-half substitution in a World Cup qualifier for Senegal on Thursday was a “precautionary” one.
The Liverpool winger appeared to hurt his rib before being withdrawn, with Senegal head coach Aliou Cisse saying:
“There is nothing bad. We only took him out as a precaution, not for something serious.” – Aliou Cisse
KAI HAVERTZ
Chelsea’s ‘out of position’ midfielder Kai Havertz (£8.1m) missed Germany’s win over Liechtenstein on Thursday through suspension although has also reportedly sat out training because of a dead leg. Havertz was present at the stadium for that 9-0 romp, however.
YOURI TIELEMANS
There is some potentially encouraging news for owners of Chelsea defenders ahead of the Blues’ trip to Leicester City in Gameweek 12.
Influential Foxes midfielder Youri Tielemans (£6.5m) suffered calf and ankle problems in Leicester’s draw with Leeds on Sunday and Belgian outlet HLN suggest the playmaker will miss between two and three weeks while he recovers, rendering him an early doubt for the lunchtime kick-off a week on Saturday.
Brendan Rodgers had also revealed that Harvey Barnes (£6.5m) got a “nasty knock on his knee” in that draw at Elland Road.
MASON MOUNT/LUKE SHAW
There’s no flag on Mason Mount (£7.5m) currently but the wisdom teeth problems that forced a no-show in Gameweek 10 and then led to a benching in Gameweek 11 have also put paid to his involvement in England’s clash with Albania on Friday.
Luke Shaw (£5.2m) will also sit out that fixture as he is serving a concussion protocol but both players have yet to withdraw from the Three Lions’ squad, with Gareth Southgate’s troops also in action against San Marino on Monday.
“Mount’s arrival has been delayed due to recent dental surgery and he will continue to be monitored in the coming days, as will Shaw who is currently following concussion protocol at his club.” – England FA
MARCUS RASHFORD/PAUL POGBA/EDINSON CAVANI
Shaw aside, there are other issues to report from Manchester United.
Marcus Rashford (£9.4m) and Paul Pogba (£7.5m) have withdrawn from their national team squads for contrasting reasons: the former just to work on his match-fitness and the latter because of a thigh injury that could keep him out for six to eight weeks.
Pogba is suspended for Gameweek 12 anyway.
Edinson Cavani (£8.4m) has been speaking about the tendon injury that saw him sit out Gameweek 11 and miss out on a place in the Uruguay squad, meanwhile:
“It made me spend a couple of weeks out until I began to gain some minutes [on the pitch] in my team. I had to go back to the national team, always with a bit of pain, but with the hope that it would disappear.
“It was improving but, after Tottenham, it started coming back. They are difficult injuries. And I decided to have the treatment so that it does not continue to get worse, and to recover as soon as possible to be fit for my team and the national team.” – Edinson Cavani
ROUND-UP
Angelo Ogbonna (£5.0m) wouldn’t have featured for his national team over the break but his injury is a significant one to report, as West Ham United confirmed on Monday that he had suffered ACL damage – an issue that will presumably see him sidelined for much, if not all, of the rest of 2021/22.
Craig Dawson (£4.9m) will be poised to deputise in his stead.
“After being substituted following a separate incident that led to him suffering a cut above his eye, Angelo felt some discomfort in his right knee so we scanned him to ascertain the extent of the injury.
“That scan has shown up some damage to the anterior cruciate ligament and we have begun his rehabilitation immediately. Angelo will see another specialist this week and we will then have a clearer picture around his timeline of recovery.” – West Ham’s Head of Medical, Richard Collinge
Ogbonna’s club colleague Declan Rice (£5.0m) has pulled out of the England squad with an illness, meanwhile.
Ryan Fraser (£5.3m), who is set to reunite with Eddie Howe at Newcastle, has withdrawn from the Scotland squad with an unspecified problem, while budget FPL forward Joe Gelhardt (£4.5m) is also out of England under-20 duty after missing Gameweek 11 because of “discomfort”.
Spurs are already without Oliver Skipp (£4.5m) because of suspension in Gameweek 12 and they’ll be sweating over Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg‘s (£4.9m) fitness, with the Dane set to miss his country’s World Cup qualifier against the Faroe Islands on Friday. Hojbjerg could still return for the meeting with Scotland next week, however.
Hojbjerg’s compatriot Mathias Jensen (£4.9m) tested positive for Covid upon his arrival in Denmark and will have to isolate for 10 ten days before returning to Brentford, all being well, a couple of days before they take on Newcastle.
The Danes have also released Joachim Andersen (£4.5m) because of a “minor injury”.
Thomas Partey (£5.0m) has delayed joining up with Ghana due to the groin injury that kept him out of the 1-0 win over Watford, while Enock Mwepu (£5.9m) has pulled out of the Zambia squad after suffering from a similar problem.
2 years, 5 months ago
Thoughts please
Ramsdale (Foster)
Cancelo, James, Chilwell, Livra, Semedo
Salah, Mount, ESR, Saka, Raphinha
Antonio, Jimenez, Vardy
1 FT, 1.4 ITB
Going to take a -4 for GW 12 (2nd hit of the season)
1) Vardy/Mount for Wilson/Son
2) Vardy/Mount for Wilson/Jota
3) Vardy/Mount for Kane/Jota