WanderlustSport

Arsenal are “optimistic” that Bukayo Saka will be healthy and ready for their Champions League quarter-final first leg versus Real Madrid, according to David Ornstein.  Saka has missed the entirety of this year to date following a significant hamstring injury sustained against Crystal Palace on December 21.  He has been absent from the last 19 Arsenal matches and is expected to come back in April.  It is uncertain how soon in April the 22-year-old will be back, as Real Madrid is set to visit the Emirates on the eighth for a significant Champions League match.  The Gunners return to the Bernabeu for the second leg eight days later, and if Saka isn't available for the first leg, he is expected to play in the Spanish capital.  The Athletic correspondent Ornstein suggests there is “hope” for Arsenal and Saka.  Ornstein stresses that Saka will not be hurried or endangered by the club’s medical team.  "As first reported by John Cross, this seems to be Arsena...

Cole Palmer could be a concern for Thomas Tuchel’s initial England squad after having to miss Chelsea’s match against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.  The 22-year-old was included in the German squad of 26 players for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia.  Nonetheless, Palmer was excluded from Enzo Maresca’s matchday roster for the Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium.  Commenting on Palmer leaving the game against Leicester due to a stomach upset last weekend, Maresca remarked about the midfielder’s location: “He’s definitely not in the bathroom.” He he he!  “No, he experienced some issues last week, and yesterday he faced a minor [injury] issue, but we believe that after the international break he will rejoin us.”  "He sustained an injury yesterday during a training session." It was a quite relaxed session, which is why we believe it’s not significant, but he still has to wait. The sentiment is that he might return following the in...

•  Jackson suffered a hamstring injury in early February.  • Forward close to potential comeback with winger Noni Madueke.  • Reece James returns to training in preparation for the second leg of the Conference League.  Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has expressed his belief that striker Nicolas Jackson will be ready to play again following the March international break.  Jackson suffered a hamstring issue in early February, and the Blues have faced difficulties scoring without him, as an injury to third-leading scorer Noni Madueke coincided with a decline in form from key player Cole Palmer.  Chelsea might not have to endure much longer without Jackson, as Maresca mentioned in a press conference on Wednesday that the Senegal international is expected to come back after the international break along with Madueke.  "He might return, likely following the international break," Maresca stated, "Both he and Noni as well."  "This is positive information." ...

The race for the Champions League is currently the sole competition in the Premier League, but there's an exciting battle ahead of us. Five points separate Manchester City in fourth place from Aston Villa in tenth, and Nottingham Forest along with title-challengers Arsenal could – hopefully – still be drawn into the mix.  Success could largely depend on the influence of players recovering from injuries, and we've identified ten stars likely to make a comeback before the season concludes who could make significant contributions to help their teams.  We have utilized the outstanding Premier Injuries for the anticipated return dates of players, listed in chronological order.  Oscar Bobb (Manchester City) – Upcoming   In the midst of widespread disbelief last season that Manchester City failed to recognize Cole Palmer as the Messiah before letting him join Chelsea and dominate the Premier League, one reason that softened the blow of that clear mistake was Bobb's rise to ...

• Wesley Fofana is back in the Chelsea lineup for Tuesday's match.  • French center-back absent since December due to hamstring injury.  • The defender openly challenged Enzo Maresca's assertions about a season-ending problem.  Chelsea have received a boost with the inclusion of centre-back Wesley Fofana in Tuesday's squad heading to face Southampton.  Fofana sustained a hamstring injury in December, leading to a strange exchange with manager Enzo Maresca. The Frenchman first stated that his problem was not grave, but Maresca contended that it might be a season-ending injury.  A social media post disclosed Fofana's claim that Maresca's remarks were "not accurate" as he projected a return to play by mid-February. The manager subsequently verified that Fofana had challenged the recommendations made by the club's medical team.  In the end, it seems that Fofana's belief was justified since Fabrice Hawkins was the initial one to announce his forthcoming...

• Lamine Yamal ended Barcelona's latest match with a bleeding foot.  • The Catalan powerhouse welcomes Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-finals.  • Yamal is uncertain for the cup match on Tuesday.  Barcelona attacker Lamine Yamal allegedly missed the squad's last comprehensive training session ahead of their home match against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night, casting uncertainty on his participation in the Copa del Rey semi-final.  Yamal wasn't performing at his peak during Barcelona's tough journey to Las Palmas on Saturday night, frequently appearing frustrated when confronted with the hosts' strong marking tactics. The teen successfully forged the chance that resulted in Dani Olmo's second-half goal in a match that ultimately concluded with a 2-0 victory.  Following the game, Yamal shared a photo of a sock drenched in blood on social media, accompanied by the caption: "It's not a foul" - a direct critique of the referee's choice to i...

• Erling Haaland has been dealing with a knee injury.  • Man City forward was absent for the team's previous two matches.  • Pep Guardiola "optimistic" before the upcoming match against Tottenham.  Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola anticipated that Erling Haaland will return from his knee injury "soon" and remains optimistic that the club's key striker might play against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.   Haaland has missed City's previous two matches. Having seen his fellow players overwhelmed by Real Madrid in the Champions League last week while being an unused substitute, Haaland was not included in the squad for City's disheartening 2-0 loss at home against Liverpool on Sunday.  The robust Norwegian has been dealing with a knee injury he incurred during an unusual decisive win for his team when he fell awkwardly against Newcastle United on February 15.  City's strong beginning against Liverpool quickly diminished as a dynamic attack led b...

• Madueke hobbled off with an injury during a 3-0 loss to Brighton.  • Winger poised to be out for multiple weeks  • Blues encountering slight injury issues in offense  A report has disclosed that Chelsea will be missing injured winger Noni Madueke until following the international break in March.   Madueke hobbled off prematurely during Chelsea's 3-0 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion last week, with manager Enzo Maresca promptly acknowledging his concern that the winger might be out for an extended period.  Currently, The Telegraph has disclosed that Madueke will stay sidelined until post the international break at the end of March.  Although Madueke's absence is a clear setback for Chelsea, there is a prevailing belief that he has steered clear of a serious injury and will not require a lengthy recovery time as was first worried.  Madueke joins striker Nicolas Jackson on the sidelines until after March’s international break, while another forward, M...

•Amad likely sidelined for the remainder of the season due to an ankle injury.  •The 22-year-old has emerged as one of Manchester United's most dependable attacking options.  •Ivorian turns to social media to voice discontent over set back. Manchester United striker Amad Diallo has promised to return even stronger after stating on social media that he will be sidelined due to injury "for a while."  The 22-year-old's success at Old Trafford has marked one of the few highlights in yet another particularly disheartening season for the 13-time Premier League champions.  Ruben Amorim stated in his press conference on Friday that United experienced several injury setbacks over the week, but he refrained from disclosing any names ahead of the matchup with Tottenham Hotspur.  It was later disclosed that Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte, and Toby Collyer had sustained various injuries, before reports emerged on Saturday afternoon that Amad might be sidelined for the remainde...

Following Bruno Fernandes' intervention that saved Manchester United from Thursday night's letdown, the Red Devils refocus on the Premier League with an upcoming match against Fulham.  Ruben Amorim's club is having a difficult time. In midweek, they faced a bruised Rangers team that was missing several of its key players, but they controlled the whole of the game and needed a late goal from their captain to win. The club hasn't made any moves to help their talented new manager this winter, so it appears that Amorim will continue to work with the same group of players for the rest of 2024–2025.  The rest of the division has found visiting Fulham to be a difficult challenge this season, and United, who already have little left to gain from this tournament, are unlikely to have a different experience at Craven Cottage.  Before Sunday's match, here is the most recent injury update from the Manchester United camp. Defenders & Goalies The Red Devils' 2-1 victory o...

After Chelsea's victory over Wolves in the Premier League on Monday night, manager Enzo Maresca provided a worrying injury report regarding the absence of midfielders Romeo Lavia and Enzo Fernandez. With three points that moved them back into the top four of the table, it was a significant win for Chelsea, their first in the league in more than a month. However, because both Fernandez and Lavia were unavailable after the previous game, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who was otherwise out of favor, was given his first Premier League start for the team.  Against Bournemouth, the two had started together in midfield, with Lavia earning his opportunity due to Moises Caicedo's temporary switch to right-back. However, they both developed muscle problems that prevented them from attending Wolves' visit to Stamford Bridge. Lavia is dealing with a more significant issue. The most alarming part, however, is that Maresca acknowledged that there was still no estimated time range for any of the...

William Saliba's absence from Arsenal's Premier League match against Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium had supporters anxious about the star center-back's whereabouts. Due to a one-match suspension he received for his red card during the team's 2-0 loss to Bournemouth in October of last year, Saliba has only missed one game this season. The Frenchman was a surprise exclusion when the lineups were revealed, but it was believed that he would start with Gabriel for the visit of Villa, who are still improving under the leadership of former Arsenal manager Unai Emery.  "He felt something before the match, something muscular," Mikel Arteta, the manager, attested. He was unable to workout [on Friday], but I don't think that's excessive. We need to evaluate the situation because he wasn't feeling well enough to play. There will undoubtedly be worries about Saliba ahead of a crucial run of games given Arteta's scant information. Liverpool scored a lat...

This season, Arsenal has had trouble getting Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, their two most creative influences, on the field simultaneously. Only 14 of the Gunners' 31 games across all competitions have seen the talismanic pair play together, and Arsenal has only lost once during that time. But it's unlikely that they will be mingling at the Emirates Stadium very soon. Saka has been off for a long time after Odegaard sustained a long-term injury early this season; Arsenal has been without the latter since he went into treatment just before Christmas.  What's the latest on Saka's injury? Arsenal needs its key player back as soon as possible. What kind of injury does Saka Bukayo have? Given the harsh punishment he frequently gets from opposition defenders, Saka has shown himself to be incredibly resilient during recent campaigns. This is undoubtedly the most severe and protracted injury he has ever sustained in his career. When Saka was hit by the deck and then staggere...

Joe Gomez, a defender for Liverpool, is not expected to make a full recovery from his hamstring injury, according to manager Arne Slot. Gomez was initially predicted to miss "a few weeks" after limping out of the team's 5-0 victory over West Ham United on December 29. This raised concerns about a potential comeback during Tuesday's match with a surprise bonus. Nottingham Forest "Quite far," a disgruntled Slot acknowledged when asked how far away Gomez is from making a comeback. Darwin [Nunez] has been suspended, and he is undoubtedly not yet a member of the team. It is they that we will miss tomorrow.  Slot promised not to take Nuno Espirito Santo's team lightly in their quest for retribution, as Forest is the only team in the Premier League this season to have defeated Liverpool. Slot thought back on the loss and said, "They demonstrated in hindsight what a strong team they are." "Virgil [van Dijk], who played 100 home games and lost only...