With just one match remaining in the Gameweek, we take a look around the grounds to assess the latest batch of injuries sustained over the midweek fixtures.
Arsenal
Nacho Monreal and Wojciech Szczesny were both absent from the Gunners’ matchday squad at Loftus Road. The left-back is nursing a minor back strain, while the out-of-favour goalkeeper was suffering from illness. Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger predicts that Gabriel Paulista – who was subbed off against QPR with a hamstring injury – may well be missing for the next three weeks:
“It’s a hamstring. I don’t know, it’s bad enough to come off. It’s usually 21 days, not years.”
Burnley
Danny Ings was substituted late on against Liverpool because of an injury. The Clarets star pulled up unchallenged and limped off the field to be replaced by Lukas Jutkiewicz.
Chelsea
Nemanja Matic twisted his ankle celebrating the Blues’ Capital One Cup final triumph, but manager Jose Mourinho expects the Serbian international to be fit for their last-16 Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain:
“Matic got an injury celebrating the cup. It’s not a big injury, but if today he was not suspended, he wouldn’t play. He twisted his ankle – on the pitch. He put on shinpads, but he didn’t put the tape on. He will play against Paris. On Saturday, Sunday, he will train.”
QPR
Sandro lasted just 55 minutes on his returns to the R’s starting line-up following a lengthy layoff. QPR boss Chris Ramsey insisted it was a precaution and is confident the midfield general will be fit to face Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday:
“I’m hoping he’ll be fit. He came off more from a precaution point of view because he has a history of getting injured.He’s a wholehearted player who will play until he gets injured – and we need him.”
Similarly, Ramsey explained that Nedum Onuoha was removed from the field as a safety measure following his clash of heads with Steven Caulker:
“He has a gash on his eye and we didn’t want to take the risk. It was a blow to the head so we have to take that precaution.”
Stoke
Potters manager Mark Hughes revealed that Philipp Wollscheid tweaked his groin in the warm-up before the Everton clash, explaining why the German centre-back was substituted early on:
“We had to overcome the disappointment of losing Philipp in the opening minutes – he felt his groin in the warm-up. He gave it a go, but he’d lost power in his left leg, and in the end we had to take him off pretty quick. Geoff [Cameron] came in and did well, and we didn’t let that affect what we wanted to do and in the end deserved the victory.”
Swansea
Bafetimbi Gomis was quick to assuage any fears over his health after the Swans’ frontman collapsed on the pitch at White Hart Lane. The France international suffers from a vasovagal condition (low blood pressure) that caused him to faint three times in 2009 when playing for Lyon. Gomis attributed this recent incident to the stress associated with caring for his ill father:
“I wanted to reassure you concerning my health. It actually looks much scarier than it is physically dangerous, and I am feeling well now. I have been under a great deal of stress and fatigue due to my father’s health, which requires me to go back and forth from France.”
West Brom
Callum McManaman – who’s been absent for the Baggies in their last two league ties – is a doubt for West Brom’s FA Cup quarter-final clash against Aston Villa on Saturday. Manager Tony Pulis said the 23-year-old had done some light training as he prepares for a return to action:
“Callum has done a little bit of work today but we’re not sure if he’ll be fit for Saturday. That’s been a little bit of a set-back for because we certainly need his trickery, especially at the back-end of games. It would have been nice to have brought him on on Tuesday having wrestled the initiative off Villa. We could have done with that little bit of extra quality up front.”
West Ham
Winston Reid pulled up in the 8th minute of West Ham’s London derby against Chelsea. The New Zealand native appeared to hobble off with a calf injury.
