Roberto Mancini is sacked by City after the weekend FA Cup final defeat by Wigan. Jack Wilshere requires “minor surgery†on his ankle, Lukas Fabianski is available for the Gunners home clash with the Latics this evening, reports suggest Eden Hazard is struggling with a hamstring problem ahead of Chelsea’s Europa League final against Benfica, while Daniel Sturridge lauds the recent displays of Philippe Coutinho after Liverpool’s thrashing of Fulham:
It turns out the rumours were true, then. With two games left of the season, City confirmed the sacking of Roberto Mancini late last night after Saturday’s Wembley loss to Wigan leaves the club without silverware for the campaign. With a trip to Reading and home clash against Norwich still on their agenda, City’s upcoming pair of fixtures certainly offers plenty opportunity for Fantasy returns – while many had expected Mancini to make several changes for this evening’s game at the Madejski, it’s now down to assistant boss Bryan Kidd to select the XI for tonight and Sunday’s visit of the Canaries.
Indeed, with the club requiring just one point over the remaining games to clinch second spot behind United, the theory was that Mancini would hand many of his fringe players a chance to impress – now, Kidd may decide to use the platform to impress the club’s owners and roll out the big guns as he looks to save his own job. With City, United and Chelsea all set for a change of manager in the following campaign, then, we’re set for a fascinating summer of transfer activity as the squads reinvest. While some Fantasy managers may look upon the changes with a little trepidation, there’s no doubt the constant rotation worries that blighted Mancini and Rafa Benitez’s line-ups won’t be missed.
Arsene Wenger has confirmed Lukas Fabianksi is back in the Arsenal squad for this evening’s crucial home game with Wigan. Yesterday’s press conference also saw the Gunners boss indicate he expects Kieran Gibbs to return after the left-back missed out with a calf complaint against QPR, while Wenger also discussed the reason behind Lukas Podolski’s restricted game time this term. The German international – who is favourite to continue in the central role as Olivier Giroud serves the last of a three match suspension – has managed the full 90 minutes just once since arriving from FC Cologne last summer and has been a peripheral figure in the first-team over the last couple of month. Wenger cited the mid-winter Bundesliga break as a reason for Podolski’s fatigue in his debut season at the Emirates:
“He had a good start [to the season], a very strong start. After that, he suffered a little bit physically and mentally because in Germany they have a break in mid-season. We have seen with many German players that when they come in for the first season, mentally they suffer a little bit. Now he has recovered and is getting stronger again. On the flanks is the most demanding position. Physically, especially in England, it’s very tough. He’s a striker. Many times we were in a position where we were in a winning position in the final 20 minutes and then I take a bit more of a guarantee defensively and take him out of the team sometimes.”
Wenger also revealed Jack Wilshere will undergo an operation to remove a pin in his ankle over the next few days. The midfielder was sidelined in March with a problem but his manager went to great lengths to assure the club’s official website that the procedure has been planned:
“Jack will have small, mild surgery. It is a very small, small, small one. It will not be a problem. He will need very minor surgery, but we manage that as far as we can until the end of the season. At the moment, we use him only in games when I feel he is really needed.”
Unconfirmed reports in the Mirror suggest that Eden Hazard is struggling to overcome a hamstring problem in time for Chelsea’s Europa League final with Benfica tomorrow evening. The Belgian sustained the injury in Saturday’s win at Villa and, having only just recovered from a calf complaint, is handing Rafa Benitez selection worries ahead of the showdown with the Portuguese club. Chelsea have yet to officially comment on the situation, however, though a possible absence would cause concern for Hazard’s owners ahead of Sunday’s home clash with Everton as Benitez looks to nail down a third place finish. Over 6,000 FPL managers have already drafted Hazard out this week, with a similar amount transferring in Frank Lampard after the latter’s double at Villa Park on Saturday lunchtime – only Philippe Coutinho (9,000) and Theo Walcott (8,000) have proven more popular thus far.
Hazard has been listed in the 25-man squad for tomorrow’s encounter, though the fact that Demba Ba has also been included by Benitez -despite being cup-tied for the match – doesn’t really shed any light on the situation.
Daniel Sturridge has heaped praise on Philippe Coutinho after the pair ran riot in Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Fulham last Sunday. Sturridge bagged a hat-trick, while the Brazilian picked up a couple of FPL assists for his display at the Cottage and the former Chelsea forward spoke of their flourishing understanding:
“It’s fantastic to be playing with someone of his calibre. It’s good to have somebody around who is hungry. He has a lot to prove just like I have. We have both come from big clubs where we haven’t had an opportunity to play week in week out. We are both hungry to show everybody what we are capable of doing. I can’t praise him highly enough for what he’s shown. It’s very difficult to do what he has done in such a short space of time. I want to say thanks to Philippe because he has made my job very easy. He has been very unselfish. He has put me in many times and it’s just fantastic to work with him.”
Certainly, both have made a significant impact since arriving in the winter transfer window and look canny acquisitions by Brendan Rodgers. While many had assumed Liverpool would toil after Steven Gerrard joined Luis Suarez on the sidelines last week, the two new boys wreaked havoc, with Coutinho handed a role behind Sturridge in a 3-5-1-1 for the first 45 minutes before Rodgers changed to a more familiar formation. Already, an incredible 48,000+ FPL managers have snapped up Sturridge of the Gameweek 38 home clash against QPR – with five goals, an assist and five bonus points (or 33 points) in three games since Suarez has been suspended, he looks set to be handed the armband by significant numbers for the final day of the season. As mentioned above, Coutinho has also proven popular and is second only to his Anfield team mate for transfers in this Gameweek.
