A long and arduous Premier League campaign is entering its twilight zone with most clubs having now played over two-thirds of their fixtures.
Although there are only a couple of months of the season to go, there is no let-up for clubs and players alike with Premier League, FA Cup and European matches coming thick and fast in the coming weeks.
As if the schedule wasn’t hectic enough as it is, there is another round of international fixtures pencilled in for the end of March too, much to the chagrin of managers everywhere.
Due to the increased workload and limited recovery time, injuries have been on the rise in 2020-21, as evidenced during the latest round of fixtures at the weekend and in midweek.
Here is the latest injury news ahead of Gameweek 27.
Harvey Barnes (Leicester City)
Much has been made of Liverpool’s crippling injuries this season, but Leicester City have also been shorn of key players for long stretches at various points in the campaign.
Frustratingly for Brendan Rodgers, his key players seem to be suffering setbacks when they are at the peak of their powers, as highlighted by the Foxes’ latest injury casualty, Harvey Barnes.
The 23-year-old has been in sensational form, scoring six goals and providing three assists in 12 appearances before suffering a knee injury against Arsenal at the weekend.
“It’s not good news. He needs an operation. He’ll be out for a minimum of six weeks. Part of the bone in his knee has come off, so he’ll need it repaired,” Rodgers said.
Paul Pogba (Man Utd)
Manchester United have encountered a sticky period of form of late, drawing each of their last three matches 0-0, the latest of which was against Crystal Palace on Wednesday night.
Paul Pogba has been out of action ever since limping off during the 3-3 draw against Everton a month ago and his absence has been keenly felt with Bruno Fernandes starting to look jaded.
The Frenchman still has some way to go before making his return but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is hopeful that he will be able to feature before the international break at the end of March.
“He’s very positive, he’s working really hard,” Solskjaer said on Tuesday. “He knows when he gets back we haven’t got two or three games to play him into form, so he’s working hard on his fitness.”
James Maddison (Leicester City)
Barnes is not the only influential attacker currently out of action for the Foxes as primary creator James Maddison is also sidelined with a hip problem that has caused him to miss three consecutive games.
“[Maddison is] still continuing with the medical team,” Rodgers revealed on Thursday. “As I’ve always said with James, there’s no timeline on it, we’re just hoping that gradually he’ll feel better. He’s had the reassurance of a few scans to know that he doesn’t need any operation.
“It’s just a little bit irritable where he’s had a previous operation, but we’re hopeful that, over these next weeks, he will get better and it’ll be great to have him in the squad again.”
Jack Grealish (Aston Villa)
Jack Grealish’s shin injury had ramifications for Aston Villa’s Fantasy Premier League contingent who have been told to stop transferring teammates in and out of their squads in order to prevent giving upcoming opponents and advantage.
Dean Smith downplayed the severity of Grealish’s injury after Villa’s 2-1 defeat to Leicester last Sunday, but there will be concern that he has now missed four games in a row.
“He’s still got pain on a particular movement he’s got,” Smith said on Tuesday. “He’s working with the doctor and the rehab staff every day. It’s frustrating because he’s a top player and we’re a better team for having him in it.
Anthony Martial (Man United)
Manchester United were without Anthony Martial for their foggy encounter with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park and the Frenchman might have come in handy given they failed to create anything of note.
Although Martial has struggled to emulate his 2019-20 form, scoring only four Premier League goals so far this season, Solskjaer will hope to have him available again soon.
“Anthony [Martial] got a knock in training on Monday, on his knee, so he’s not ready for this,” Solskjaer said before the Palace draw. “Hopefully ready for the weekend but we’re not sure yet.”
Tariq Lamptey (Brighton)
Tariq Lamptey has been absent since December because of a mysterious hamstring problem and Graham Potter has confirmed that the highly-rated youngster has unfortunately suffered a setback.
Speaking on Thursday, Potter said: “Tariq won’t be fit, he had a little setback this week and we need to get to the bottom of that.
“It’s a problem with his hamstring. He’s seeing a specialist and he’s not available for the weekend.”
Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal)
Mikel Arteta will have been heartened to see a much-changed Arsenal team win in impressive fashion against high-flying Leicester City on Sunday.
It wasn’t all good news for the Gunners, though, as Emile Smith Rowe had to be withdrawn just before half-time, with Martin Odegaard sent on in his place, after suffering a groin strain.
Fortunately, the youngster doesn’t seem to have sustained any serious damage.
“Emile had a scan yesterday,” said Arteta on Wednesday. “It doesn’t look a significant injury, but he was in discomfort and, for the rest [of the squad], hopefully everybody should be okay.”
Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron (Newcastle)
Newcastle are sleepwalking ominously towards the bottom three having taken only nine points from their last 45 available.
With Callum Wilson already absent because of a hamstring issue, the under-fire Steve Bruce has been further hampered by injuries to Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron.
“Almirón sustained a knee injury and had to be replaced at half-time, while Saint-Maximin suffered a groin injury in the 63rd minute,” a club statement said.
“Both have undergone scans and will continue their rehabilitation with the club’s medical team.”
On Almiron, Bruce added: “It’s too early to tell and he needs a scan but we fear the worst,” Bruce said of the playmaker. “He was distressed at half-time.”
David De Gea (Man Utd)
Dean Henderson was drafted in for only his third Premier League start of the season at Selhurst Park and his first this calendar year.
Solskjaer revealed before kick-off that Henderson had been given the call-up as David De Gea was absent due to “personal reasons”.
It is unclear at present whether De Gea will be back in contention for Sunday’s derby meeting with Manchester City.
More on the Premier League
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- Young-Myles: The case for Spurs retaining Mourinho is diminishing by the week
- The making of Everton’s versatile defender whose rise surprised even his own manager
- Hall: Martial is running out of chances to prove he is part of the future at Man Utd
- The Czech ‘warriors’ who rose from obscurity to fire West Ham into European contention
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3uT0EmH
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