PL team news: Injury boosts for Arsenal, Spurs, Man Utd and Chelsea

Ian Watson

Bellerin, Bailly, Matic: Could all feature this weekend

Check out all the latest team news ahead of the weekend’s Premier League fixtures, with injury boosts for Tottenham, Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea…

Watford v Everton

Saturday 10 December 2016 (12:30)
Vicarage Road, Watford

Watford team news to follow…

Seamus Coleman

Everton defender Seamus Coleman is fit for the trip.

The Republic of Ireland international was forced off in Sunday’s draw with Manchester United after a clash with Zlatan Ibrahimovic but returned to training on Thursday.

Winger Yannick Bolasie is out for the season with knee ligament damage but midfielders Ross Barkley and James McCarthy may have to settle for a place on the bench again.

 

Arsenal v Stoke City

Saturday 10 December 2016 (15:00)
Emirates Stadium, London

Arsenal could have Hector Bellerin back for the visit of Stoke.

The right-back has been missing with an ankle injury but is back in training and may come straight into the side to replace Gabriel.

Petr Cech will return in goal after David Ospina deputised in the Champions League win over Basle on Tuesday, while Santi Cazorla (Achilles), Per Mertesacker and Danny Welbeck (both knee) are all definite absentees.

hector-bellerin

Bruno Martins Indi and Marko Arnautovic will be fit for Stoke.

Defender Martins Indi was sent for precautionary X-rays after he was elbowed in the face by Burnley striker Ashley Barnes last weekend but he has been passed fit along with midfielder Arnautovic, who was also nursing a knock following the 2-0 home win against the Clarets.

Ryan Shawcross remains a major doubt with his calf complaint and Geoff Cameron (knee) is still a couple of weeks away from getting back to fitness.

 

Burnley v Bournemouth

Saturday 10 December 2016 (15:00)
Turf Moor, Burnley

Goalkeeper Tom Heaton is likely to return for Burnley.

The England international has missed two games with a calf injury but has trained well and should take over from Paul Robinson.

Winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson is out with a hamstring injury, while Steven Defour and Sam Vokes could return to the XI.

Tom Heaton Burnley

Bournemouth will have left-back Charlie Daniels available following a hip problem.

Junior Stanislas has an ankle injury which is expected to sideline the midfielder for a few weeks.

Midfielder Andrew Surman, who has not featured since October, continues his rehabilitation from a hamstring problem.

 

Hull City v Crystal Palace

Saturday 10 December 2016 (15:00)
KCOM Stadium, Hull

Hull could have Shaun Maloney back in their squad.

The 33-year-old midfielder has been out since mid-October due to a back problem but has been back in training ahead of a possible return for Mike Phelan’s men.

Abel Hernandez (groin) is still out, as are the likes of Will Keane, Moses Odubajo and Allan McGregor, while striker Dieumerci Mbokani serves the second game of a three-match ban.

Yohan Cabaye: Crystal Palace midfielder

Crystal Palace will have midfielder Yohan Cabaye back from a one-match suspension.

Goalkeeper Steve Mandanda has undergone surgery on a knee injury and is set for around five weeks of recovery.

On-loan Chelsea striker Loic Remy continues his rehabilitation from a calf problem, while forward Connor Wickham (knee) and defender Pape Souare (broken thigh bone) are also long-term absentees.

 

Swansea City v Sunderland

Saturday 10 December 2016 (15:00)
Liberty Stadium, Swansea

Swansea are again without Ki Sung-yueng and Federico Fernandez.

South Korean midfielder Ki has missed the last two games with a broken toe, while Argentina defender Fernandez suffered a similar injury before last weekend’s 5-0 defeat at Tottenham.

Leon Britton, Wayne Routledge and Fernando Llorente are all in contention to return for a Liberty Stadium game, which has taken on extra importance for under-fire Swansea boss Bob Bradley after the Spurs debacle.

Ki Sung-yueng: Out injured for two weeks

Sunderland boss David Moyes has to decide on who should replace Duncan Watmore.

Watmore will miss the rest of the season with cruciate knee ligament damage and the likes of Wahbi Khazri, Seb Larsson and Adnan Januzaj are all vying to take his place.

Fabio Borini (groin) may also play some part for the first time since August but Lee Cattermole (hip), Jack Rodwell (hamstring) and Paddy McNair (knee) remain on the casualty list.

 

 

Leicester City v Manchester City

Saturday 10 December 2016 (17:30)
King Power Stadium, Leicester

Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel could make a surprise return against former club Manchester City after a fractured hand.

Boss Claudio Ranieri is prepared to let the Denmark international make his own call on his fitness after being sidelined for over a month.

Danny Drinkwater remains suspended for the Premier League match but Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, Islam Slimani, Robert Huth and Andy King are all set to return after being left at home for the Foxes’ 5-0 Champions League defeat in Porto on Wednesday.

Kasper Schmeichel: Underlines family values

Raheem Sterling is in contention to return to the Manchester City side after recovering from a knock.

Midfielder Fabian Delph, who last featured in August, is also fit having overcome a groin injury but City will be without Sergio Aguero, Fernandinho and Nicolas Otamendi through suspension.

Aguero was sent off for a tackle on Chelsea’s David Luiz last weekend that sparked the melee in which Fernandinho was also dismissed while Otamendi collected his fifth yellow card and must sit out one match.

 

Chelsea v West Bromwich Albion

Sunday 11 December 2016 (12:00)
Stamford Bridge, London

Nemanja Matic has beaten a calf problem to be fit for Chelsea’s Premier League clash with West Brom.

John Terry remains sidelined with a gluteal strain, but Matic and Fabregas will battle it out for a start in Antonio Conte’s midfield.

Chelsea could still however field the same starting XI for the eighth successive Premier League match.

Nemanja Matic: Reports claim he could be sold for £18m

James Morrison and Gareth McAuley are doubts for West Brom.

The pair have not trained this week as they are suffering with what boss Tony Pulis described as knocks and will be assessed ahead of the game.

Saido Berahino continues to train with the squad but is unlikely to feature as he regains fitness having not played since September with the club having already sent him to France for a personal fitness camp.

 

Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur

Sunday 11 December 2016 (14:15)
Old Trafford, Manchester

Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling remain absent for Manchester United.

The defenders continue to be sidelined through injury, but those that featured in Thursday’s Europa League win at Zorya Luhansk, including Eric Bailly, have emerged unscathed.

Michael Carrick, Antonio Valencia and Matteo Darmian come back into contention after being rested for the trip to Ukraine.

Luke Shaw & Chris Smalling; Duo criticised

Toby Alderweireld is set to make his first start in eight weeks when Tottenham take on United.

Alderweireld has been out with a knee injury but came off the bench in Wednesday’s Champions League win over CSKA Moscow.

Erik Lamela is unavailable as he is still in Argentina attending to his brother, who is in hospital. Vincent Janssen remains out with an ankle problem.

 

Southampton v Middlesbrough

Sunday 11 December 2016 (14:15)
St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton

Southampton will be without forward Charlie Austin because of a shoulder injury.

Serbia midfielder Dusan Tadic could be in line for a return to the side after making a substitute appearance in the Europa League tie against Hapoel Be’er Sheva on Thursday night following his broken nose.

Forward Jay Rodriguez and midfielder Sofiane Boufal may feature having been rested from the European tie, when captain Jose Fonte was left on the bench.

Alvaro Negredo: Celebrates his first goal for Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough have doubts over attacking trio Gaston Ramirez, Alvaro Negredo and Jordan Rhodes.

None of the three trained on Friday due to unspecified knocks but manager Aitor Karanka will allow them time to prove their fitness, with David Nugent and Cristhian Stuani standing by.

George Friend (knee) is close to a return but may not be ready until next week.

 

Liverpool v West Ham United

Sunday 11 December 2016 (16:30)
Anfield, Liverpool

Liverpool defender Joel Matip is set to return for the visit of West Ham having missed last weekend’s defeat at Bournemouth with an ankle injury.

Midfielder Adam Lallana is pushing for a start having made his comeback from a groin problem as a substitute on Sunday.

Striker Daniel Sturridge has been ruled out of the next two matches as he continues his recovery from a calf injury.

Michail Antonio West Ham v Bournemouth 1

West Ham have had a boost as Michail Antonio and Aaron Cresswell are fit enough to return to the squad.

The pair have been out due to groin strains and have been back in training this week but the game comes too soon for Cheikhou Kouyate (groin) who is still recovering.

James Collins (muscular injury), Reece Oxford (ankle) and Diafra Sakho (hamstring) are all unavailable.