Ahmed Elmohamady faces a race to be fit for Hull’s trip to Arsenal. West Ham’s Cheikhou Kouyate could be back in time to face Burnley, Sunderland’s Emanuele Giaccherini may be sidelined until December, while Nigel Pearson talks up Riyad Mahrez’ prospects after the wide man served up a goal and assist against Burnley.
Elmohamady Withdraws from Egypt Squad
Ahmed Elmohamady has dropped out of Egypt’s squad for their upcoming African Cup of Nations qualifiers with a back injury and returned to Hull for further monitoring.
The Scout Says: The Egyptian picked up the problem in the final minutes of the weekend win over Palace and reports suggests he also sustained an arm injury in the incident. Having played 64 consecutive matches in all competitions for the Tigers, his loss would be a bitter blow as Steve Bruce’s side roll up to Arsenal, with Liam Rosenior on standby to deputise if Elmohamady fails to make it. Bruce’s shift to 3-5-2 last weekend brought James Chester back into the first-team, though regardless of formation, Andrew Robertson, at 4.5 in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game, still seems the safest option in the Tigers’ rearguard. With Liverpool, Southampton, Spurs, United and Everton also on their agenda in the next seven Gameweeks, clean sheets look very much few and far between for Bruce’s team.
Pearson Praise for Mahrez
Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson has talked up the recent performances of Riyad Mahrez after the 23-year-old winger bagged a goal and assist at the weekend, describing the Algerian as a “match winner at both ends”.
The Scout Says: Having been dropped in Gameweeks 5 and 6, Mahrez was one of the main beneficiaries of Pearson’s move to a 4-4-2 set-up against Burnley, as he returned to the starting line-up on the right flank and earned his first attacking points of the campaign. The Algerian now sits atop the Leicester midfield rankings in FPL with 21 points, and at just 4.9 could prove an outstanding budget midfield option if he can hold down a starting role ahead of the Foxes’ kind upcoming agenda (new, swa, WBA, sou, SUN, qpr). Mahrez’ gain may be David Nugent’s loss, however, after Saturday’s change in formation saw the English forward left out of the line-up for the first time this season, with Jamie Vardy the man preferred alongside Leonardo Ulloa up top for the Foxes.
Giaccherini Concern for Sunderland
Reports in Italy suggest that Emanuele Giaccherini could be out until December with an ankle problem, after the Sunderland midfielder paid visit to his national side’s training camp in midweek.
The Scout Says: Yesterday’s news will have come as a blow for Sunderland manager Gus Poyet, though will be welcome news for Connor Wickham’s slender band of owners with the England Under-21s man’s start on the left wing now looking assured for the next couple of months. Some may feel that Wickham’s potential has been dented by his move back to the flank to accommodate Steven Fletcher in the central forward spot, but last weekend’s 11-point haul illustrated the 5.8-priced forward is still capable of delivering from out wide. With Wickham back on the flank, competition for the Black Cats’ right wing berth is intensifying – Will Buckley has now started each of the last two but Adam Johnson will be hoping to oust the summer signing, after being dropped to the bench against Stoke at the weekend. A horrendous run for the Black Cats from now until Gameweek 15, in which they face all of last season’s top five, should give Fantasy managers plenty of reasons to steer clear of their midfield assets for now anyway.
Kouyate Pushing for Quick Return
West Ham’s Cheikhou Kouyate could be back in the frame for the Gameweek 8 clash with Burnley after making a rapid recovery from a groin injury. The Senegal international had originally been ruled out for up to six weeks after sustaining the problem against Liverpool in Gameweek 6, but is now on course to make a return at Turf Moor.
The Scout Says: Kouyate’s return could be great news for owners of Stewart Downing, after the former Liverpool midfielder was moved to a deeper role against QPR at the weekend due to injuries. That didn’t stop the 5.6-priced man picking up his third assist of the season, however, as he continues to deliver on his underlying stats. With encounters against Stoke and Villa also on the Hammers’ agenda in the next four, Downing’s appeal as a budget midfield option seems unlikely to diminish any time soon.
PIENAAR READY TO PRESS ON
Everton’s Steven Pienaar believes he is still far from full match sharpness after returning from a six-week absence with a thigh injury against Man United last Sunday. The South African was handed a start by Roberto Martinez at Old Trafford, but was subbed off just after the hour mark, and is aware that he will require more pitch time to build his fitness:
“For me, it was a great feeling just to be back on the pitch after almost six weeks out. I didn’t expect to start but when you get this type of opportunity, you have to grab it with both hands. For me, it’s important to stay focused and stay fit now. You can do all the graft and the running, but the thing I’ve missed is playing. It’s different from just running in training and I need more games under my belt [to get back to 100 per cent].”
The Scout Says: Ruled out since Gameweek 2, Pienaar’s return to the fray coincides with an excellent run of fixtures for the Toffees. The South African’s words should also allay fears over any injury, after initial reports suggested he was withdrawn due to a recurrence of the problem in the 2-1 defeat. Coupled with the continued absence of Kevin Mirallas due to a hamstring problem, this should mean that the 5.8-priced midfielder is likely to feature in the Toffees’ starting line-up in two weekends’ time when they face Aston Villa. The Merseyside outfit have been struggling for form recently, with just one win in their last five league fixtures, though they have an attractive schedule ahead of them (AVL, bur, SWA, sun, WHM) which may well provide Pienaar the platform to impress as a real under-the-radar option.
