Late Fitness Check - Week 8
The international break is always a logistical nightmare for fantasy managers as players travel to all corners of the globe representing their respective countries in competitive and friendly matches. The key is to try & stay ahead of the game identifying those at risk & to have a contingency in place to help minimise the impact of such a loss – think in particular those involved in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers who often return just 24 hours prior to kick-off.
Check out our other Week 8 Premier League fantasy advice: Player Picks | Bargain Hunter | By The Numbers
Manchester City – vs – Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester City lost Yaya Toure after the break in September because of fatigue but the Ivorian midfielder – who has improved in recent weeks – is already back at the Etihad and is expected to feature. Given the sheer number of players involved across the world City have fared pretty well with only Eliaquim Mangala [thigh] ruled out. Sergio Aguero and Martin Demichelis were rested for Argentina midweek meaning they should be fresh despite their long-haul flight from Hong Kong – Fernandinho has recovered & will be included in the squad but Samir Nasri is ruled out.
Kyle Walker [pelvic surgery] and Kyle Naughton [ankle] have both been ruled out of the trip to the Etihad although the pair have been involved in light training – a date in November would be realistic for their return. Hugo Lloris [groin] will be assessed further but the goalkeeper is looking good while Nacer Chadli is another facing a late fitness test after picking up a hip problem while with Belgium. Emmanuel Adebayor and Nabil Bentaleb need to be looked at following their late return from international duty.
Arsenal – vs – Hull City
Saturday will come too soon for Aaron Ramsey [hamstring] who should return to training next week, the Welsh international remains sidelined along with Laurent Koscielny [Achilles] and Yaya Sanogo. Serge Gnabry and Theo Walcott are back but given their period of absence Wenger will look to integrate the pair slowly – they will play for the development side against Blackburn on Friday. The versatile Calum Chambers serves a one game domestic ban after an accumulation of five yellow cards so misses out but better news regarding Tomas Rosicky, Danny Welbeck and Mikel Arteta who have all been passed fit - Mesut Ozil could miss around two months. Mathieu Debuchy and Olivier Giroud remain long-term but are “progressing well.”
No fresh injury concerns for Hull but Steve Bruce will assess Diame and Aluko who will arrive back late – the Tigers coach hinted that neither will start. Ahmed Elmohamady [back & arm] has recovered with Steve Harper likely to deputise for injured goalkeeper Allan McGregor. Robert Snodgrass is out for the season.
Burnley – vs – West Ham United
Sean Dyche will welcome back a quartet of first team players as Danny Ings [hamstring] & David Jones [thigh] are in contention while loanee Nathaniel Chalobah [throat] is fit again - Kieran Trippier [ankle] is available after he left the field on a stretcher last time out but Dean Marney [hamstring] is rated "touch and go." Michael Keane will be in the squad following his early return from England under-21 duty. The Clarets have also confirmed Matty Taylor will have surgery to address an ongoing Achilles problem & will "be out for the foreseeable future." Sam Vokes is targeting a return for the festive period and Steven Reid is ruled out because of a minor groin strain.
West Ham are approaching full strength with a number of first team players expected to travel to Turf Moor. Vice-captain Mark Noble [calf] has trained this week while Vaz Te [thigh], Carl Jenkinson [hamstring] and James Collins [groin] were also involved. Enner Valencia took part in a recovery session on Thursday following his late return [to be assessed] – Guy Demel [thigh] has a chance. Game week eight will come too soon for Andy Carroll, Joey O’Brien and Cheikhou Kouyate.
Crystal Palace – vs – Chelsea
Scott Dann is out with a knee injury but after his initial assessment the news is good with a possible return for the beginning of November – Adrian Mariappa [himself back from injury] could slot in or Warnock may opt for forgotten man Brede Hangeland. Marouane Chamakh will be pushing for a start after recovering from a hamstring injury while Wilfried Zaha [ankle] is another who is fighting fit again - Yannick Bolasie could make way following his late return.
Jose Mourinho has a number of concerns for their difficult trip to Selhurst Park on Saturday. Diego Costa [hamstring] is a “big doubt” while Ramires [groin], Drogba [ankle] & Andre Schurrle [illness] will all be assessed. John Obi Mikel played on Wednesday afternoon making his participation doubtful & Kurt Zouma will almost certainly miss out because of a thigh problem.
Everton – vs – Aston Villa
Roberto Martinez will hand up to five players a late fitness test with Seamus Coleman [hamstring], James McCarthy [thigh] & Steven Pienaar all close – if they miss out then a return in game week nine is expected. Ross Barkley [MCL] joined the group over the international break & has impressed but after two months out a spot on the bench is the best the midfielder can hope for. Bryan Oviedo had a small procedure to remove a screw from his leg with Sylvain Distin “fully refreshed” & ready for action. Arouna Kone [knee] has no timescale on his return with John Stones [ankle] & Kevin Mirallas [hamstring] ruled out.
A huge blow for Paul Lambert with the news that England midfielder Fabian Delph fell awkwardly in training leaving him with a suspected dislocated shoulder – summer signing Carlos Sanchez is on standby to make his second start of the season. Philippe Senderos suffered a thigh strain for Switzerland last week but fortunately captain Ron Vlaar has finally recovered from an ongoing calf problem & will fill the void left by his defensive teammate. Gabby Agbonlahor [illness] is added to the squad & Christian Benteke is pushing for a start as his fitness levels improve after six months out but Libor Kozak [broken leg] remains on the sidelines.
Newcastle United – vs – Leicester City
Daryl Janmaat & Paul Dummett [both hamstring] returned to training this week after leaving their respective national camps early because of injury while there was further good news as Tim Krul [elbow] has also been passed fit. Steven Taylor makes up the foursome after missing the Swansea draw because of a minor complaint. Ryan Taylor has stepped up his recovery from an ACL injury but Pardew will play the full-back on Monday for the under-21s. Sammy Ameobi & Emmanuel Riviere are both doubtful after picking up knocks in training. Siem de Jong, Davide Santon, Rolando Aarons & Curtis Good won’t be making a comeback anytime soon.
Nigel Pearson with be without long-term absentees Matthew Upson & Zoumana Bakayogo but Esteban Cambiasso will return after the Argentine missed the draw with Burnley. Riyad Mahrez “has played a lot of minutes in both games for Algeria” and “Jeff [Schlupp] doesn’t arrive back until [Friday],” meaning a place on the bench for the pair is a distinct possibility.
Southampton – vs – Sunderland
No fresh injury concerns for the Barclays Manager of the Month but Ronald Koeman will need to check on the fitness of Mayuka & Mané following their midweek international exertions. Sam Gallagher [knee] could be welcomed back into the squad while development teammate Lloyd Isgrove is also fit. Maya Yoshida [ankle] will have a late fitness test but Ward-Prowse [foot] and Jay Rodriguez are sidelined.
Billy Jones picked up an injury during a practice match last week ruling the full-back out of the trip to St Marys’, his absence could see a defensive reshuffle with Wes Brown slotting in at centre-back & Vergini moving across to the right hand side. Jack Rodwell is pushing for a return but I wouldn’t expect Gus Poyet to make wholesale changes after an impressive win over Stoke – a game in which Steven Fletcher shone with a match winning performance. Sebastian Coates, Emanuele Giaccherini and Ricardo Alvarez will be out for at least another three weeks.
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Queens Park Rangers – vs – Liverpool
Joey Barton and Jordon Mutch continue to struggle with respective hamstring problems - Harry Redknapp confirmed the pair are likely to be “a couple of weeks.” Chilean internationals Eduardo Vargas and Mauricio Isla are expected to be fine but will be assessed late on Friday with Niko Kranjcar [broken toe] having pain-killing injections - however the player is very keen to play a part in Sundays’ match-up with Liverpool.
Liverpool are hoping the return of Emre Can [ankle] and Joe Allen [knee] can spark a resurgence in form – the duo were injured during the last international break back in September. Dejan Lovren [abdominal] trained on Wednesday and should play alongside Martin Skrtel – Kolo Toure could get his first start of the season if the Croatian suffers any kind of setback. Suso [groin] and Jon Flanagan [knee] are ruled out but Raheem Sterling will be included in the match-day squad after he was rested while on England duty. Striker Daniel Sturridge [thigh] will be assessed on Saturday but after six weeks out the striker will not play 90 minutes.
Stoke City – vs – Swansea
Mame Biram Diouf [hamstring] and Victor Moses [thigh] have responded well to treatment over the past two weeks & Mark Hughes is confident they will be available on Sunday. Marko Arnautovic picked up a hip problem midweek & is struggling with his mobility while Robert Huth [calf] will have a late fitness test although the centre-back is yet to start a game this season. Glenn Whelan [knee] will have a scan on a lateral ligament injury today but regardless of the outcome Sunday is likely to be too soon. Geoff Cameron [hernia] comes back in contention after almost two months out - Peter Odemwingie [ACL] is targeting a return before the end of the season.
Jazz Richards' brief foray into the first team after a three year Premier League absence could be over as Angel Rangel returns after serving a one game domestic ban – Dwight Tiendalli looks to have recovered from a minor groin problem. Leon Britton [bruised patella] is progressing but is still not training fully and Jordi Amat [knee ligaments] is targeting a return for the beginning of November with youngster Rory Donnelly [ankle] still out. Wilfried Bony will be checked [Ivory Coast] but the extra day for recovery will help.
West Brom Albion – vs – Manchester United
Record summer signing Brown Ideye [ankle] will be available for selection following his return to training this week but midfielder Claudio Yacob has been given compassionate leave due to a family illness. Victor Anichebe [hernia] is also set to return but Silvestre Varela [groin surgery] will miss out. Chris Brunt [groin] missed out for Northern Ireland last week but the midfielder will train on Saturday and Andre Wisdom is eligible again after missing the defeat to Liverpool under the terms of his loan agreement.
Wayne Rooney serves the second of his three game domestic ban but United could welcome up to five players back into the fold as Louis van Gaal confirms his squad is only carrying four injuries now. Phil Jones [hamstring], Chris Smalling [thigh] and Michael Carrick [ankle] all came through a behind-closed-doors game unscathed this week with Ashley Young rated as 50/50. Ander Herrera has declared himself fit although Louis van Gaal may resist the urge to include his Spanish star for fear that a knock to the ribs could keep him out for another few weeks. Jonny Evans, Paddy McNair and Jesse Lingard are progressing but none are expected to be included in the match-day squad with Antonio Valencia [hamstring] out for another week.
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