An under-strength United side lose to Sevilla in Rio Ferdinand’s testimonial. Daniel Sturridge is fit enough for the bench for Liverpool’s final friendly of the summer, Alan Pardew reckons Hatem Ben Arfa is full fit for the season ahead, Juan Mata and Fernando Torres have been left out of the Spain squad ahead of Chelsea’s double Gameweek, Jose Mourinho discusses the injury situation at the Bridge, while Arsene Wenger reveals his starting XI against City today will give us a hint to his line-up against Villa next Saturday.
Man United 1 Sevilla 3
With the Community Shield against Wigan taking place tomorrow afternoon, David Moyes omitted many of his regulars for Rio Ferdinand’s testimonial last night. The likes of Fabio, Alexander Buttner and Chris Smalling joined Ferdinand in the back-four, while further up the field, Shinji Kagawa and Antonio Valencia were afforded just over an hour apiece as they build up their fitness after a lack of pre-season minutes. Moyes again rolled out his preferred lone striker system, handing Angelo Henriquez the first 45 minutes before moving teenager Adnan Januzaj into the middle after the break – the latter teed up Valencia for the hosts only goal of the night. While Moyes will no doubt be disappointed with the defeat, Sunday’s clash against the Latics should be a far better gauge of how the champions are faring up ahead of their Gameweek 1 trip to Swansea.
In Other News
Brendan Rodgers has denied stories that Liverpool have agreed personal terms with Valencia’s Aly Cissokho. The left-back had indicated to the press he may be set for a switch to Merseyside if the two clubs could agree terms but the Reds boss ruled out a move for the Frenchman before rolling out an update on Liverpool’s interest on Atletico Madrid forward Diego Costa:
“There’s nothing on the Cissokho story….I believe Costa has signed an extension. There’s nothing in terms of players to add. We’ve signed players early on and we hope to sign some more before the end of the window. In the meantime, there’s nothing at the minute.”
Rodgers also named Daniel Sturridge and Glen Johnson in the squad to face Glasgow Celtic later today. The latter has recovered from the knock that forced him out of the midweek game against Valerenga, while Sturridge could be set for action for the first time this summer after finally shaking off an ankle injury. Despite his relief, Rodgers admitted the former Chelsea man is only likely to be utilised from the bench – perhaps raising questions over the likelihood of a start against Stoke next Saturday:
“He’s had a good few weeks with the medical and sports science teams and he’s rejoined the group in the last week or so. He looks very good and very strong. He’s not up to starting a game yet but he’ll have some involvement in the game tomorrow. That’s great news because I believe he’ll be one of the top strikers in the Barclays Premier League this year.”
Alan Pardew has talked up the prospects of Hatem Ben Arfa for the season ahead. The Frenchman made just 19 league appearances last time out due to a recurring hamstring problem but the introduction of a new fitness coach over the summer has led Pardew to believe the playmaker’s problems are finally behind him:
“It’s a big year for Hatem to stay fit. I don’t worry about anything else with Hatem. I look at him and we all know when we train with him he’s got exceptional talent. We need it on the pitch and we need more of it. That’s something we’ve worked really hard with him on this summer, particularly in pre-season. He got his rest from that hamstring injury. Remember that was a terrible hamstring injury and I remember people questioning if he would come back the same. Actually in pre-season he’s produced faster times than anyone else. We know that burst of power is there and that is what sets him apart.”
While a Gameweek 1 trip to City is anything but enticing, the Magpies’ following four fixtures afford Ben Arfa the perfect platform to produce. Home games against West Ham, Fulham and Hull, allied with a trip to Villa, could barely be kinder as Pardew looks to banish the poor form that saw his side finish just five points above the drop zone in 2012/13. Kindly priced across the Fantasy games due to his lack of minutes last term, Ben Arfa – at 7.0 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) – looks a decent short-term punt from Gameweek 2-5 at least.
Fantasy managers were handed plenty to consider yesterday after Juan Mata and Fernando Torres were both omitted from the Spain squad to face Ecuador next Wednesday. Jose Mourinho had previously hinted he may rest his Spanish contingent for the first fixture of their double Gameweek 1 against Hull due to the hours of travelling involved – thus making our selections a little more straightforward. The duo’s omission now suggests they may come into contention for the Tigers clash, though Mata’s fitness – along with Frank Lampard and David Luiz – is clearly an issue for his Mourinho. Mata and Luiz have missed virtually all of Chelsea’s pre-season due to an extended break following their Confederations Cup duties and were absent from the midweek loss to Real Madrid due to injury – Mourinho rolled out an update on the duo yesterday, with Luiz perhaps most at risk, judging by his manager’s words:
“They are important players. The team with David Luiz and Mata is a better team. But again this is not a problem, we don’t risk players in pre-season. Mata had a little thing, we didn’t take a risk. David had an injury from before the Europa League final and he still has little things with it, so we stop. If David misses the start of the season then its only because of his injury. That’s why I’m not risking him. He had a good session in DC with the fitness guys while we were in Miami. So, hopefully, there will be no problems.”
Lampard’s lack of game time over the summer is also a real concern. The veteran has only just returned against Real following an Achilles complaint and Mourinho admitted he wasn’t quite ready for the new season just yet:
“No, he still has to train. He has to play against Roma. He played 45 mins against Real, maybe he plays 60 against Roma. He is in the England squad so it will be good if he plays a part against Scotland. He is getting ready. But his pre-season has seen him train for a week and then stop for two weeks. He is coming back again, we are calm. We have to be calm. We know the stages of recovery. His first minutes of pre-season have been against Real Madrid.”
Blues right-back Cesar Azpilicueta has been included, though, suggesting Branislav Ivanovic is in pole position to start the game against Steve Bruce’s side at least. With the second match of the double not until the following Tuesday, though, the Spaniard will have plenty time to rest and recuperate and may well get the nod against Villa as Mourinho shuffles his squad in preparation for the following weekend’s trip to Old Trafford.
Arsenal’s Santi Cazorla has been named in the Spain squad along with City duo David Siva and Jesus Navas. While the latter two don’t play Newcastle until the following Monday, Cazorla is scheduled to line up against Villa on Saturday afternoon and given he has only just returned to action for the Gunners after an extended break following Confederations Cup duties, it remains to be seen whether Arsene Wenger will bring him straight back into the starting XI. Speaking to the club’s official website yesterday, though, the Arsenal boss hinted that the line-up for today’s friendly against City will close to the one he’ll name against Paul Lambert’s side:
“It is not necessarily [the team that will face Villa] because players like Rosicky are not here and one or two players have little muscular problems – but it will be close. I consider that I have 16 regular players and no matter who starts or does not [against City], they will be considered for a start against Aston Villa.”
Similarly, Mark Hughes has revealed his set-up for today’s friendly against Italian outfit Genoa is likely to be similar to next week’s, when Stoke travel to Anfield in the first game of the new season:
“We’re only a week away, so I’ve got to start formulating ideas in my mind which I have obviously already done. We’ve had four or five games now; we’re just looking at different combinations of players and different formations. We’ve touched on almost everything I think. Now’s the time to bed a few ideas down and the system of play that we will think will help us.”
The Stoke boss has been fairly consistent in his defensive selection so far, fielding a back-four of Geoff Cameron, Ryan Shawcross, Robert Huth and Erik Pieters in three of the Potters’ four matches but further up the field, question marks remain. Hughes has opted for 4-4-2 and 4-4-1-1 formations over the summer but with games against City and Arsenal, in addition to a trip to West Ham within the first five Gameweeks, most Fantasy managers will be prepared to assess the situation from afar until the schedule smiles a little kinder around Gameweek 6.
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