Daily Fantasy Focus gives you the lowdown on suspension, illness and injury in the Premier League. It’s the Hitlist.
Arsenal
Next Up: Tottenham (H)
The high-flying Gunners came crashing back down to earth following their 5-1 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich on Wednesday. To make matters worse, first choice defenders Laurent Koscielny and Hector Bellerin both picked up injuries.
With the North London derby coming up this weekend, there will be little respite for Wenger’s battered squad. Arsenal will need to dig deep if they are to bounce back from the midweek disappointment.
Injured: Ospina, Rosicky, Wilshere, Ramsey, Chamberlain, Welbeck, Walcott, Bellerin
50/50: Koscielny
Aston Villa
Next Up: Man City (H)
Remi will have to be on Garde this weekend as he prepares to host joint-table toppers Man City. While it looks like it will be a baptism of fire for the Premier league’s newest manager, he may take some solace from the fact that he has a relatively healthy squad.
Agbonlahor and Gardner are the only two who are certain to miss out, while Ashley Westwood is a slight concern.
Injured: Agbonlahor, Gardner
50/50: Westwood
Bournemouth
Next Up: Newcastle United (H)
The return of Lee Tomlin to match fitness will come as a welcome boost to Eddie Howe. It remains to be seen whether it will be enough to change his side’s fortunes as the Cherries prepare to host a Newcastle side that appear to be turning a corner in form.
Injured: Mings, Elphick, Gradel, Wilson, Atsu
50/50: Boruc, Cook
Chelsea
Next Up: Stoke City (A)
Falcao and Branislav Ivanovic have swapped places ahead of Gameweek 12 with the Colombian set to take his place in the sick bay for few weeks at the very least.
It really has not gotten any better for a man once among the top strikers in world football.
Injured: Courtois, Falcao
Crystal Palace
Next Up: Liverpool (A)
Alan Pardew admitted that three of his strikers, Wickham, Chamakh and Dwight Gayle could all miss the trip to Anfield with the three of them carrying various knocks, bruises and fitness issues.
For a side struggling for firepower, this is hardly welcome news. In defence, the Eagles will however be boosted by the return of Papa Souare.
Injured: Wickham, Chamakh
50/50: Lee, Gayle
Everton
Next Up: West Ham (A)
The loss of Phil Jagielka – coupled with existing absence of Baines and the possible doubt over Seamus Coleman’s fitness – is a huge blow to the Toffees. Without that vital experience at the back, they could suffer against a rising West Ham.
Injured: Jagielka, Hibbert, Baines, Cleverly, Oviedo, Besic, Pienaar
Leicester City
Next Up: Watford (H)
Will Leicester’s fairy tale continue against an ultra-disciplined Watford team? It’s difficult to say, but with virtually no new injuries to contend with, Ranieri’s team are well placed to continue their stunning run.
Injured: James
50/50: Ulloa
Liverpool
Next Up: Crystal Palace (H)
Klopp’s promising start will be severely tested against Liverpool’s long-term bogey team – Crystal Palace.
Sturridge remains the biggest injury concern, with an on-going knee complaint putting him out of action until after the international break at the earliest.
Injured: Gomez, Toure, Flanagan, Henderson, Rossiter, Ings, Sturridge
Manchester City
Next Up: Aston Villa (A)
City make the trip to Birmingham and Manuel Pellegrini is asking for respect to be shown to ex-Villa man Fabian Delph. Whether that suggests the England international will get the nod to start is anyone’s guess, but Delph is fit and available for selection once again following a layoff. David Silva, Samir Nasri and Sergio Aguero look set to miss out once again however.
Injured: Clichy, Silva, Nasri, Aguero
Manchester United
Next Up: West Brom (H)
Louis Van Gaal’s boys have much the same slate of injuries to manage going into a tough Gameweeek 12 clash with West Brom.
Injured: McNair, Shaw, Valencia
50/50: Depay, Wilson
Newcastle United
Next Up: Bournemouth (A)
Newcastle make one of the longest trips in English football to face struggling Bournemouth and will hope to turn the corner following two disappointing results on the trot.
One bonus for the Toon is the possible return of Haidara at left-back. The 22 year old is still nursing a groin injury, but could start away to the Cherries.
Injured: Krul, Darlow, Taylor, Good, Obertan, Colback, Aarons, Riviere
50/50: Haidara
Norwich City
Next Up: Swansea City (H)
Key man at the back and a vital goalscorer, the Canaries will be without the services of Russell Martin for Gameweek 12 – following his red card against Manchester City last weekend.
Andre Wisdom however will return to plug that particular gap, but Matt Jarvis – the effective summer signing, is ruled out with a knee injury.
Injured: Jarvis, Hooper
50/50: Mbokani
Suspended: Martin
Southampton
Next Up: Sunderland (A)
Victor Wanyama is the major absentee from the Southampton starting XI as the Saints take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. The Zimbabwean international aside, Ronald Koeman has no new injuries to contend with in Gameweek 12 – the perma-injured Jay Rodriguez is still out for the forseeable future.
Injured: Forster, Gardos, Long, Rodriguez
Suspended: Wanyama
Stoke City
Next Up: Chelsea (H)
Phil Bardsley returns from suspension in Gameweek 12 and could get the go ahead to start in defence with Cameron and Muniesa still absent through injury.
Marco Van Ginkel – on loan from Chelsea this season – is unavailable for selection against his parent club.
Injured: Given, Cameron, Muniesa
N/A: Van Ginkel
Sunderland
Next Up: Southampton (H)
A number of Sunderland’s key performers and previous injury doubts, O’Shea, Rodwell and Borini could return to the starting line-up following their abject display in a 6-2 thrashing away to Everton in Gameweek 11.
Midfield stalwart, Lee Cattermole will miss out through a knock, but that in itself may be no great loss as Sunderland host their candystripe counterparts, Southampton.
Injured: Cattermole
50/50: Matthews
Swansea City
Next Up: Norwich City (A)
For three weeks on the trot, Garry Monk has had virtually no injury concerns, enabling him to select his best starting XI at all times. The problem is that a healthy squad hasn’t necessarily contributed to points on the board – the Swans have registered just one league win since August. Facing Norwich in Gameweek 12, they’ll hope to change that particular statistic.
Tottenham Hotspur
Next Up: Arsenal (A)
Spurs’ rising Son could be in line for a return against his one-time suitors Arsenal, as Spurs take on their bitter rivals on away soil. The Korean has missed over a month with a foot problem since he put in a scintillating performance aginst Manchester City, helping his new team to stunning 4-1 victory.
With Clinton N’Jie a doubt and Chadli certainly ruled out, the Korean international could be fasttracked back into the starting XI.
Injured: Fazio, Bentaleb, Pritchard, Chadli
50/50: Rose, Carroll, N’Jie
Watford
Next Up: Leicester City (A)
The Hornets’ Hitlist remains much the same as it did in Gameweek 11, with Juan Manuel Jurado the most worrying 50/50 doubt for Quique Sanchez Flores’ side. Not one for changing up a winning team, the Watford gaffer is likely to keep the same line-up against Leicester following their impressive 2-0 victory over West Ham.
Injured: Ekstrand
50/50: Jurado
West Bromwich Albion
Next Up: Manchester United (A)
Baggies captain, Chris Brunt, is the only new injury worry for Tony Pulis as they travel to Old Trafford this weekend. Playing makeshift fullback and excelling for much of the season, Brunt carries a knock but should receive the all clear to play.
Injured: Foster
50/50: Brunt
West Ham United
Next Up: Everton (H)
Winston Reid – West Ham’s best defender by a distance – could be back for his first Premier League appearance since Gameweek 8. It’s just as well since stand-in replacement James Collins faces suspension following a dismissal against Watford last weekend.
Diafra Sakho – out with a thigh injury – isn’t scheduled back until later this month at the earliest, so Andy Carroll could again get the nod up front at home to Everton.
Injured: Song, Sakho
Suspended: Collins
To select your line-ups for Premier League Gameweek 12 go to PlayON.co now.
