21 Dec, 2024

Game Week 17: Injury Watch

Riccardo Calafiori (DEF – £4.8m):

Arteta informed the media on Friday that “Rice and Calafiori are both available to be in the squad.” Calafiori likely immediately rejoins the starting XI at left-back.

Estimated return: Gameweek 17 vs Crystal Palace

Start, hold or replace: Start

Potential replacements: N/A

Danny Welbeck (FWD – £5.7m):

Fabian Hurzeler revealed that Welbeck “is not in the best shape, to be honest. But then we have to really keep looking week to week because this is an issue that can heal fast and can also heal slow. It’s unpredictable.” This is an alarming quote and sounds like this is an injury that can linger, or easily be re-injured. FPL managers will need to pay close attention to Hurzeler’s interviews next week for further information on a return date.

Estimated return: Gameweek 18 vs Brentford

Start, hold or replace: Replace

Potential replacements: Raul (£5.5m), Joao Pedro (£5.9m) or Wood (£6.6m)

Eberechi Eze (MID – £6.6m):

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner spoke on Eze’s injury, stating “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. So he is not 100%. We need every player 100% so it makes sense, we decided that he gets a rest and hopefully will be available for Bournemouth. It doesn’t look serious…”

Seems like Eze should return in Gameweek 18 however, despite being a talented player, he just has not produced the output needed this season to justify his £6.6m price tag. There are superior Midfielder options for fantasy managers.

Estimated return: Gameweek 18 vs Brentford

Start, hold or replace: Replace

Potential replacements: Iwobi (£5.8m), Mitoma (£6.6m) or Bowen (£7.4m)

Dwight McNeil (MID – £5.3m):

Sean Dyche informed us that “Dwight is probably going to be touch-and-go…He’s got a niggly knee that we’re being careful with, so we’re hopeful but we’ll have to wait and see.”

McNeil truly sounds like a gameday decision, and would be a big boost for Everton’s attack. However, with some uncertainty around his availability this Gameweek as well as the fact there are better midfield enablers on better attacking teams, it is hard not to argue in favour of replacing McNeil.

Estimated return: Gameweek 17 vs Chelsea

Start, hold or replace: Replace

Potential replacements: Enzo (£5.1m), Amad (£5.2m) or Iwobi (£5.7m)

Joachim Andersen (DEF – £4.2m)

Marco Silva revealed “Joachim is back in the training sessions, training with the team again, and is just a matter of fitness, really, to be able to play again.”

This sounds like an indication Andersen will most likely be on the bench in Gameweek 17, with a likely cameo to get some minutes in his legs, in order for him to start in Gameweek 18 vs Chelsea. Andersen is a great sub £4.5m option and raises the ceiling of someone like Robinson by raising the standard of Fulham’s defence significantly.

Estimated return: Gameweek 18 vs Chelsea

Start, hold or replace: Hold

Potential replacements: N/A

Manuel Akanji (DEF – £5.3m):

Akanji, after a month sidelined with an injury, will finally be available and will return to the matchday squad. It seems likely that he returns on the bench for his first game back.

Estimated return: Gameweek 17 vs Aston Villa

Start, hold or replace: Replace

Potential replacements: Robinson (£4.8), Aina (£4.9m) or Timber (£5.5m)

Ruben Dias (DEF – £5.4m):

Guardiola revealed “It’s a muscular problem and he will be out for three to four weeks” regarding his star centre-back. This weakens an already relatively weak Man City defence that now receives limited protection from their midfield. This is not good news for the other Man City Defender’s as well as for Dias owners.

Estimated return: Gameweek 22 vs Ipswich

Start, hold or replace: Replace

Potential replacements: Robinson (£4.8), Aina (£4.9m) or Timber (£5.5m)

Ederson Moraes (GK – £5.4m):

Ederson is a doubt for Saturday’s early kick off against Aston Villa. Seems like it is highly unlikely he plays and will return in Gameweek 18. However, given City’s defensive frailties, there are better premium GK options as well as cheaper ones also. 

Estimated return: Gameweek 18 vs Everton

Start, hold or replace: Replace

Potential replacements: A. Becker (£5.4m) or Raya (£5.6m)

Destiny Udogie (DEF – £4.9m)

“The plan is Destiny will be okay.” Short and sharp from Ange Postecoglou on his star left-back. Seems like it is not 100% assured Udogie starts, but Spurs and Postecoglou seem bullish on his chances of doing just that.

Estimated return: Gameweek 17 vs Liverpool

Start, hold or replace: Replace

Potential replacements: Hall (£4.6m), Robinson (£4.8), Aina (£4.9m)

Matheus Cunha (DEF – £7.1m)

As it stands, Cunha has not received a ban for his conduct last weekend and is available to play in Gameweek 17 vs Leicester. It would be wise for managers to monitor any changes on that over Saturday, but it would seem, for now, that Cunha owners will get to start him in an ideal matchup for the Brazilian.

Estimated return: Gameweek 17 vs Leicester

Start, hold or replace: Start

Potential replacements: N/A

To check out your potential replacement options within your budget, check out our Transfer Wizard here

To check out our complete guide to the Assistant Manager chip, available from Gameweek 24, click here

Written by Ahsan Ejaz

Last updated 21/12