The final round of Premier League fixtures before Christmas will be played this weekend, with a number of exciting matches taking place. Several clubs are fielding injury concerns, though, meaning FPL managers will need to pick their teams wisely.
Express Sport provides a helping hand with a list of popular players who might not be available for Gameweek 17…
Declan Rice
Declan Rice missed Arsenal’s midweek victory over Crystal Palace after limping off the pitch during their previous win over Everton. However, it seems he could return for the Gunners when they face Palace again on Saturday evening.
Mikel Arteta confirmed that Rice was available to be named in the squad during his press conference on Friday. The midfielder will be hoping to contribute to another victory over the Eagles, who took an early lead on Wednesday but were eventually overpowered.
Noussair Mazraoui
Noussair Mazraoui was spotted limping after Manchester United’s dramatic victory at the Etihad Stadium last weekend, prompting fears of an injury.
Those concerns never materialised, though, with the defender playing in the Carabao Cup defeat at Tottenham. As a result, it seems likely that he will be fit enough to face Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon.
Whether or not he is picked to start is another question, given that he stayed on the pitch for 90 minutes in midweek.
Diogo Jota
It seems likely that Diogo Jota will be tasked with leading the line for Liverpool against Tottenham this weekend. He was the hero against Fulham in their last Premier League outing after spending nearly two months out with a rib injury.
Darwin Nunez got the nod to start against Southampton in the Carabao Cup, with Jota named among the substitutes. Given that he was rested in midweek, it would not be a surprise to see him return to the starting line-up against Spurs.
Eberechi Eze
It has been confirmed that Crystal Palace will be without Eberechi Eze for their upcoming game against Arsenal. The winger only lasted 59 minutes in midweek, having played through the pain of a foot injury.
Oliver Glasner explained on Friday: “He got a hit against Brighton on his foot. He played with quite a swollen foot at the Emirates and also got the next kick there. We need every player 100 per cent so it makes sense, we decided that he gets a rest.”
Danny Welbeck
Another player who could be sidelined this weekend is Danny Welbeck, who is likely to miss Brighton’s game against West Ham due to an ankle problem.
The veteran striker was only fit enough to be named among the substitutes against Leicester City last weekend. After the match, he was described as being ‘not in the best shape’ by Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler.
He also confirmed that a decision on Welbeck’s return is set to be made on a week-by-week basis, suggesting he will be unavailable to face the Hammers.
