Arsenal get the better of Bayern in the Allianz Arena but exit the Champions League on away goals. Hatem Ben Arfa is ruled out of Newcastle’s Europa League game with Anzhi, Nani is determined to end the season as a key member of the United first-team, Pepe Reina could be back this weekend for Liverpool, while Alex McCarthy has returned to full training for Reading:
Bayern 0 Arsenal 2
Arsene Wenger made four changes from the side that lost to Tottenham in the north London derby. With Nacho Monreal ineligible, Wenger was able to recall Kieran Gibbs, after the left-back recovered from a thigh injury. Wojciech Szczesny was rested in goal, allowing Lukas Fabianksi a rare outing, while Jack Wilshere’s ankle injury afforded Tomas Rosicky the chance to play in “the hole”, with Santi Cazorla once again preferred out wide. Ahead of a kind run of fixtures and double Gameweek 33, the Gunners’ three main Fantasy assets all played a part – Cazorla and Theo Walcott provided an assist apiece, while Olivier Giroud broke his recent scoring duck by notching in the third minute. Laurent Koscielny justified Wenger’s decision to select him ahead of Thomas Vermaelen by grabbing the visitors’ second but Arsenal’s inability to find a third means that not one British club has managed to reach the last eight.
Post-match, Wenger spoke to the club’s official website and was full of praise for his backline, with Vermaelen and Szczesny owners perhaps a little concerned in light of the Gunners’ resilient showing:
“Our defence played well. Mertesacker, Gibbs, Koscielny, Jenkinson and the keeper all had good games. We always looked in control and solid. You cannot restrict a team like Bayern to no chances…It is possible he (Vermaelen) will play at Swansea. We have tomorrow and Friday yet. I have to see how everyone recovers. We rotate a little bit at the back at the moment…He (Fabianksi) did well and you can only congratulate him. You are never No 1 forever and you are not on one game as well.”
Alan Pardew has confirmed Hatem Ben Arfa will miss out for Newcastle’s Europa League match with Russian outfit Anzhi this evening after yet another hamstring setback.
“We’re trying to finalise exactly his hamstring injury before we put him back into the fore again. He had a little setback so we’re just getting our specialist to look at it today. He knows that this injury that he’s sustained is an injury that we have to be very, very careful of because more important to us is his welfare going forward so we’re not going to take any risks. He had a slight little strain in there and we’re just checking that strain is no more than that. I think that will be the diagnosis and therefore there is a chance he could be involved as early as Wigan.”
Having started the first 12 Gameweeks for the Magpies, Ben Arfa made his first appearance since early December in the first leg against Guus Hiddink’s side last Thursday but this is now the second time this season he has broken down. While Pardew seems optimistic over his short-term availability, with the likes of Moussa Sissoko and Yohan Cabaye flourishing in the centre and new boy Yoan Gouffran also producing on the flank, Newcastle have climbed the table with four wins in the last six. There seems little reason for Pardew to push Ben Arfa back into action, with last week’s 60-odd minutes in Russia clearly proving too much for the player right now.
Nani is confident of recovering from the hamstring tweak that forced him off at half-time in Sunday’s FA Cup Sixth Round draw with Chelsea. The winger spoke of his determination to end the season on a high after a hugely disappointing campaign so far:
“I want to show the manager that he can trust me and he can believe in me in every match. I want to show him my contribution can help win games. So I’ll keep working hard to make sure I’m ready to respond every time I get a chance. Now my confidence is high and I think the best is still to come from me. This is my time and I think I can be important for the team in these big games. Because I was injured for two months, I’m fresh now when some other players are starting to get tired. I feel I’m in good form and I’ve nearly arrived at my peak. I think over the next few games I can surprise a few people.”
With Sir Alex Ferguson keen for his side to go on the offensive as they look for goals to boost their title bid, we only need to look back to United’s last league match to be reminded of the differentials on offer at Old Trafford. A hat-trick from 4% owned Shinji Kagawa in the 4-0 win over Norwich saw the Japanese star rack up a 21 point FPL haul and if Nani is declared fit this weekend, a home game with Reading looks enticing. With Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia both peripheral figures, the Portuguese star – who has now started three of the last four in all competitions for United – may yet have time to redeem himself after returning a measly 32 points over 10 appearances so far.
Managerless Reading received a boost ahead of Saturday evening’s trip to Old Trafford with the news that Alex McCarthy has returned to full training. The keeper took over from Adam Federici in Gameweek 4 and played all of the Royals’ next seven league matches before sustaining a shoulder injury, allowing the Australian to reclaim his first-team berth. With Federici now ironically out injured, Stuart Taylor deputised for Brian McDermott’s final two matches in charge but McCarthy could well be set to return for the weekend visit to United and at 3.9, looks one for the radar if he can nail down that spot once again.
Pepe Reina could be set for a quick return from a calf injury after missing out in Liverpool’s home win over Spurs last Sunday. First-team coach Mike Marsh was confident the Spaniard could return in time for this Saturday’s trip to Southampton as the Reds look to build on their stirring comeback win over the north London outfit – he also hinted that Joe Allen may be set for shoulder surgery sooner rather than later, with the Welshman expected to be sidelined for three months:
“He’s (Reina) coming along nicely. He’s got one of those injuries where you’re not sure how long it’s going to take. He’s still getting treatment – with a bit of luck that will improve in the next couple of days and he’ll be available for Saturday…I think he (Allen) will need surgery. We’ll try to get that out of the way sooner rather than later so he’ll be ready for pre-season. We’ll just see how the rest of the squad is before we commit to that.”
While Allen’s absence is unlikely to affect the Reds when Brendan Rodgers rolls out a 4-2-3-1 – due to Steven Gerrard and Lucas’ availability – a move to 4-3-3 could boost the game time of the likes of Jordan Henderson or Jonjo Shelvey in central areas. Certainly, it seems that for as long as Daniel Sturridge is fit, the 4-2-3-1 seems the current default formation, with Rodgers only looking to change system during the game if his side are behind. Indeed, such a scenario occurred against Spurs, with Philippe Coutinho’s withdrawal allowing Allen game time off the bench as the Reds came back to see off Andre Villas-Boas’ side in the final half-hour of the match.
Michael Laudrup is hoping Leon Britton and Luke Moore can shrug off injuries in time for this weekend’s home clash with Arsenal. Britton was sidelined with a hip injury for last Saturday’s loss at West Brom but has yet to train this week, while Moore’s chances are a little bit more optimistic – he has returned to training after recovering from the calf problem that forced him off in the 2-1 Baggies defeat. Moore has now scored both the Swans’ goals across the last couple of Gameweeks and was handed a first-team opportunity last time out – his start allowed Michu to return to the role in “the hole” after the Spaniard has featured as the lone forward over the last few matches.
