Hamstrung Silva ruled out for Man City
Reuters - Friday 19 October 2012, 12:25
Brief news ahead of this weekend's Premier League matches:
Several club managers have been left cursing the international break with players returning injured.
Champions
Manchester City have been dealt a blow for the tricky trip to West
Bromwich Albion on Saturday after midfielder David Silva
returned from international duty injured.
The
Spaniard damaged his hamstring against France on Tuesday. "David has a
hamstring problem and is not ready for tomorrow," coach Roberto Mancini
said. "We hope that he will be ready for the next Premier League game
against Swansea."
Sixth-placed West Brom hope Romelu Lukaku will be fit to face City
despite hurting his ankle while on international duty with Belgium this
week. However Youssouf Mulumbu is a doubt after picking up an injury
while playing for DR Congo in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers could also be counting the cost of
the international break with Spanish goalkeeper Pepe Reina nursing a
hamstring problem ahead of the home match against Rodgers' former club
Reading on Saturday.
"Speaking
to Pepe last night, he very rarely has any muscle injuries, but
hopefully it will prove not to be serious," Rodgers told Liverpool's
website.
"I think Spain
picked up a few injuries. By all accounts the pitch wasn't the best and
a number of them picked up muscle injuries."
Fourth-placed Everton will be without influential midfielder Marouane
Fellaini at Queens Park Rangers on Sunday because the Belgian
has a knee problem, although he should be fit for the Merseyside derby
the following week.
Ashley Young is fit to return for Manchester United against Stoke City
on Saturday after recovering from the knee injury he sustained
against Fulham in August.
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson said the forward's return boosted his attacking options.
"Young
gives us another option," Ferguson told United's website. "Very few
players can cross the ball as well as he can and his goal-scoring ratio
is very good for us."
United
are still stretched at the back, however, with Chris Smalling not quite
ready to return. They are also without Nemanja Vidic and Phil Jones.
Ferguson said all the United players will wear anti-racism T-shirts
before the game against Stoke as part of the Kick it Out campaign's
awareness drive.
Several
black players, including Reading's Jason Roberts, have said they will
not wear the shirts in protest at what they think is a failure to
tackle an issue thrown into the spotlight by the John Terry saga.
"I
think everyone should be united, I don't know what point he's trying to
make," Ferguson said. "He really should be supporting all the other
players who are doing it."
Stoke midfielder Glenn Whelan only has a 50/50 chance of recovering in
time from a hamstring injury, according to manager Tony Pulis. Former
United striker Michael Owen could be on the bench after recovering from
a groin strain.
Arsenal winger Theo Walcott is still suffering from chest and lung
injuries sustained playing for England against San Marino and will not
be fit to face Norwich City on Saturday, manager Arsene Wenger
said.
"He's quickly short of
breath when he makes an effort but it's bruising and that will heal.
It's no major concern but it will take we think about two weeks to be
back to a normal level," said Wenger.
The Gunners are also without left back Kieran Gibbs who was injured in the victory at West Ham United.
Leaders Chelsea are without John Terry for the lunchtime clash at
London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday after he decided not
to appeal the FA-imposed four-match ban for racist comments to QPR
defender Anton Ferdinand last season.
Tottenham
midfielder Jake Livermore is available after recovering from a groin
injury that has sidelined him for six weeks, the club said on Friday.