Every week, Daily Fantasy Focus gives you the definitive lowdown on suspension, illness and injury in the Premier League. Here we round up the Hitlist for Gameweek 9.
Arsenal
Next Up: Middlesbrough (H)
Francis Coquelin looks set to re-enter the starting XI as Granit Xhaka takes up the first game of his suspension following his dismissal in Gameweek 8. Santi Cazorla meanwhile is a slight doubt. The Spaniard is carrying an achilles issue into a home clash with Middlesbrough.
Next Up: Swansea (H)
Injured: Mertesacker, Jenkinson, Ramsey,Welbeck, Giroud
50/50: Cazorla
Suspended: Xhaka
Bournemouth
Next Up: Tottenham Hotspur (H)
Eddie Howe will have to manage the potential absences of key players such as Adam Smith and Harry Arter as the Cherries prepare to host the high flying Tottenham Hotspur this weekend. The in-form Arter looks most likely to be available as he recovers from a minor knee problem.
Injured: Pugh
50/50: Smith, Arter, Gradel, Cook
Burnley
Next Up: Everton (H)
Steven Defour is the biggest loss for the Clarets, the Belgian departed the field after just 40 minutes in their 3-1 defeat to Southampton. The midfielder carries a hamstring injury and will not be available for selection until November at the earliest.
Injured: Barnes, Defour
Suspended: Gray
Chelsea
Next Up: Manchester United (H)
John Terry is fit once more and could return for Chelsea’s mammoth clash with Manchester United in Gameweek 9.That said, with Chelsea’s three man defence performing so well again against Leicester, a clear path back into the fold many not be so straightforward.
Injured: Zouma, Willian
50/50: Ivanovic, Fabregas, Mikel, Moses
Crystal Palace
Next Up: Leicester City (A)
The injury situation at Palace remains very much the same, with Leicester City due at Selhurst Park come Saturday. A potential return for Scott Dann would be a major boost for the Eagles, with their defensive leader out for the past two fixtures with a hamstring problem.
Injured: Souare, Remy, Jonathan Benteke
50/50: Dann
Everton
Next Up: Burnley (A)
It’s been an unfortunate season, if not year, for Leighton Baines. The England international has had an injury ravaged time of late and his current hamstring issue is just the latest in a long line of niggling injuries. The full-back is certain to miss a trip to Burnley and isn’t due to return until Gameweek 11.
Injured: Browning, Pennington, Baines, Besic
Hull City
Next Up: Bournemouth (A)
The Tigers are not only embroiled in a desperately poor turn of results but are likewise experiencing one of the worst injury crises in the league. Chief among their absences are key defensive players Andrew Robertson and Michael Dawson. Facing an in-form Bournemouth, it’s going to be an uphill struggle you feel.
Injured: McGregor, Robertson, Lenihan, Dawson, Odubajo, Bruce, Luer, Mbokani
Leicester City
Next Up: Crystal Palace (H)
Fresh off an impressive win in the Champions League, the Foxes did not come out of their midweek triumphs unscathed. Main men, Wes Morgan and Jamie Vardy are both doubtful for Gameweek 9 with groin and back injuries respectively. With Morgan in particular turning in some poor performances of late, this could be a blessing in disguise.
Injured: Mendy
50/50: Morgan, King, Vardy
Liverpool
Next Up: West Bromwich Albion (A)
Adam Lallana almost changed the game when introduced against Manchester United and is scheduled to start away to West Brom in Gameweek 9. His midfield partner Georginio Wijnaldum is also due to join him in the starting XI as both return to full fitness.
Injured: Gomez, Sakho, Ojo
Manchester City
Next Up: Southampton (A)
Pablo Zabaleta was carted off in a Champions League defeat to Barcelona with knock, adding to growing selection issue in the right-back position with Bacary Sagna also due out for the next two weeks with a hamstring complaint.
Injured: Sagna, Delph
50/50: Zabaleta
Manchester United
Next Up: Chelsea (A)
Chris Smalling is the most high profile potential absentee for Manchester United, but should in all likelihood be deemed fit, as Mourinho’s side return to his old stomping ground – Stamford Bridge – this Sunday.
Injured: Jones
50/50: Smalling, Schneiderlin
Middlesbrough
Next Up: Arsenal (A)
Callum Chambers will miss ‘Boro’s trip to the Emirates, as the on-loan defender is ineligible to face his parent club.
Injured: Fabio, Leadbitter
N/A: Chambers
Southampton
Next Up: Manchester City (A)
Nathan Redmond was forced to sit out of Southampton’s Europa League defeat to Inter Milan with a knock and could potentially miss the Saints’ clash with Manchester City this Sunday. Shane Long did play however and could take the aforementioned Redmond’s place in Gameweek 9.
Injured: Pied, Bertrand, Cedric,
50/50: Targett, Boufal, Redmond, Long
Stoke City
Next Up: Hull City (A)
The same familiar faces remain unavailable for selection at Stoke City. Perhaps the most missed first team player at this moment in time is Jack Butland but he won’t be likely to return to action until the middle of next month – as he recovers from an ankle injury that has kept him out of contention all season.
Injured: Butland, Johnson, Ireland, Afellay
50/50: Haugaard, Bardsley
Sunderland
Next Up: West Ham (A)
Far and away the most injury ravaged side in the Premier League, the Black Cats and David Moyes go to West Ham in search of a first win of the season. Patrick van Aanholt and Lamine Kone are 50/50 chances to start but in reality there’s nobody suitable to take up their place in the starting XI. Expect them to play through the pain.
Injured: Mannone, Denayer, Januzaj, Kirchoff, Larsson, Cattermole, Borini
50/50: Van Aanholt, Kone
Swansea City
Next Up: Watford (H)
No new injury woes for new Swansea manager Bob Bradley, whose side put in a promising performance against Arsenal yet still fell short of a result.
Injured: Dyer, Montero
Tottenham Hotspur
Next Up: Bournemouth (A)
Spurs will have to undergo their first Premier League game without the services of Toby Alderweireld – the Belgian not having missed a game since May 2015. The centre-half was stretchered off against West Brom in Gameweek 8 and could be without him for the next two weeks. Danny Rose is another slight concern, with the full-back potentially unavailable for the weekend fixture with Bournemouth
Injured: Kane, Alderweireld
50/50: Rose
Watford
Next Up: Swansea City (A)
Exciting attacking midfielder, Isaac Success, carries a foot injury into this weekend’s game away to Swansea and is a 50/50 injury doubt to start. Key defensive players Janmaat and Cathcart remain out of contention.
Injured: Janmaat, Cathcart, Sinclair, Okaka
50/50: Success
West Bromwich Albion
Next Up: Liverpool (A)
Chris Brunt returned to action for the Baggies last weekend following a lengthy spell on the sidelines with an ACL injury. But as one Northern Ireland international returns, another steps out and Jonny Evans finds himself suspended for the coming Gameweek.
Suspended: Evans
West Ham
Next Up: Sunderland (H)
Summer signing Andre Ayew returned to training midweek following a lengthy absence on the sidelines, but is unlikely to start straightaway as the Hammers host Sunderland this Saturday. Aaron Cresswell is another player unavailable but that is down to his dismissal in Gameweek 8.
Injured: Masuaku, Byram, Nordveit, Tore, Sakho, Carroll
50/50: Ayew
Suspended: Cresswell
