Daniel Sturridge will be assessed ahead of Liverpool’s visit to Wigan after suffering further problems with the thigh injury recently sustained at Man City. Tim Krul could be out for a month for Newcastle and Hatem Ben Arfa is unlikely to feature at Swansea as he struggles for fitness. Arsenal’s first-choice full-backs both remain sidelined for the north London derby, while Maynor Figueroa is still feeling the effects of Pavel Pogrebnyak’s wild challenge during Wigan’s win at Reading last weekend.
Brendan Rodgers gave Daniel Sturridge’s Fantasy owners cause for concern yesterday after conceding he is uncertain as to whether the forward will be ready for the weekend trip to Wigan. Speaking at his weekly press conference, the Liverpool boss revealed:
“Daniel has had a little knock, but we’ll assess the in the next day or so and we’ll see how he is for the weekend. Apart from that, everyone is good.”
As Rodgers illustrated in his side’s first match of double Gameweek 26, he’s clearly unwilling to take any risks with his January acquisition. It’s something of a concern, though, with Gameweek 29 also in mind – considering eight teams currently have blanks, our options are somewhat limited and with an enticing schedule on the horizon, almost 20,000 Fantasy managers have drafted Sturridge in this week; the third most popular forward. The doubt is likely to boost Luis Suarez’s transfers in as we assess the Fantasy landscape – the Uruguayan looks set to lead the line in Sturridge’s possible absence, with Rodgers perhaps reverting to a 4-3-3 formation, with Philippe Coutinho and Stewart Downing on either side of Suarez.
Arsene Wenger has revealed both Bacary Sagna and Kieran Gibbs will remain on the sidelines for this Sunday’s north London derby. Carl Jenkinson’s game time is set for an upturn, then, while Nacho Monreal is given a chance to continue the form that has harvested 19 points in his first three games for the Gunners. Elsewhere, Wenger also has doubts over Abou Diaby again – it’s a calf problem that’s plaguing the Frenchman. Although the Arsenal boss remained somewhat hopeful his compatriot will be ready in time, he also has the option of dropping Jack Wilshere into a more withdrawn role again and shifting Santi Cazorla into the centre. Such a scenario would perhaps offer cover in the centre as Wenger looks to put the shackles on Gareth Bale and could result in a first-team return for Lukas Podolski; the German international has fallen out of favour of late and has been omitted from the first XI in each of the last three.
Alan Pardew has rolled out an injury update ahead of Newcastle’s trip to Swansea. The Magpies boss admitted Tim Krul is set to be absent for around a month, while doubt still hang over Fabricio Coloccini’s availability after the Argentine was subbed off with a back problem in Sunday’s 4-2 win over Southampton:
“His (Krul’s) ankle is still a little bit swollen. We think he will be out for a maximum four weeks, five weeks, but we are hoping for less than that….He (Coloccini) was trying to get us out of a spot of trouble but he did his back in that incident. I think he is doubtful but there’s a chance he could play. He’s someone now who we’ve got good options for if he’s injured.”
Krul’s absence is set to hand Rob Elliot the chance to impress between the sticks over the short-term. Coming in at just 4.0 in FPL, he certainly has the fixtures to prosper and if Krul is indeed ruled out for five weeks, he could also face Stoke and Wigan before a trip to City – clearly his acquisition wouldn’t come without risk, particularly if the Dutchman’s powers of recovery are quicker than anticipated. Coloccini’s potential absence should see new boy Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa step in alongside Steven Taylor for the Liberty clash and earn his first league start since moving to Tyneside last month.
On the downside, the Magpies boss was a little less optimistic of Hatem Ben Arfa’s chances of making the Swansea game. The Frenchman has been stepping up his recovery from a hamstring injury and has failed to feature since Gameweek 16 but although he’s now injury-free, his manager has conceded he’s more than a little dismayed by the player’s fitness levels. Given the Magpies’ flourishing form, with three wins in the last four, Ben Arfa looks likely to find himself warming the bench at very best, judging by Pardew’s words:
“I have to say his condition has disappointed me this week, and we will be working hard in the next few days to get him up to speed because he lacks a bit of fitness, for sure. I just think it’s something we need to push him on at. His upper body strength is there, but we want to work on his general fitness. I think that needs to improve.”
Roberto Martinez has concerns over the availability of Maynor Figueroa ahead of Saturday’s clash with Liverpool. The defender was on the receiving end of a rash challenge from Pavel Pogrebnyak – with the Russian resultantly earning a three-match ban for violent conduct – and the Latics manager is still uncertain as to whether he’ll be ready in time for this weekend:
“Maynor was very fortunate. His ankle has been affected but it wasn’t a rupture or a major injury in his ligaments. It was a little bit higher than a broken ankle. He has got the stud marks and he hasn’t been able to train yet. We will assess him over the next 48 hours and see where he is for the weekend.”
Ironically for Martinez, the situation comes at a time when the injuries are finally starting to ease for Wigan. Emmerson Boyce returned after a couple of games on the sidelines and could move to the back-three from his regular role on the right of midfield, while Antolin Alcaraz also offers cover – the Paraguayan made his first appearance since Gameweek 2 last weekend, though Martinez may choose to ease him back into action from the bench. For Figueroa’s 3% owners, it’s hugely frustrating – he had registered a 17 point haul against the Royals courtesy of a goal, assist, clean sheet and couple of bonus and with four home games in the next six (LIV, NEW, NOR, SWA) and a trip to QPR also on the agenda, Wigan’s assets could offer us decent mid-price options if they continue on from last Saturday’s form.
Harry Redknapp has further concerns over the fitness of Bobby Zamora ahead of the crucial trip to St Mary’s on Saturday. Zamora, who has featured in the last three league outings, playing no more than an hour in each, struggled on with an ankle injury in last weekend’s defeat to United before eventually giving way to Loic Remy. Redknapp is desperate to field both his strikers, recently identifying their potential partnership as the key to QPR’s survival chances…
“I think it depends a lot on if I can get Bobby fit and playing. Remy gives us something to hang on to and we’ve got to try to score some goals. There’s no one better in the country (than Zamora) at bringing people into play. We need to play quality balls up to him and get people to join him, and get people into the box to score goals. We’re short of goals. 19 goals all year is not going to keep you in the division.”
With the Southampton clash so vital, it would seem likely that we will at least see Redknapp gamble on starting Remy up top, having re-introduced him against United following a two-game absence through injury. Remy scored on his debut at West Ham in Gameweek 23 and will carry the burden of scoring the goals in QPR’s unlikely bid to escape the drop.
