Dilemmas of the Week - Gameweeks 13/14 (25/26)

Amazingly, we seem to have been spared too many new injury concerns this week, so this ahould again be a pretty brief rundown!

However, since the gameweeks are packed so tightly together next week, in the beginning of the crazy December fixture logjam, I fear I won't have time to compile a separate roundup for Gameweek 14. (I'll try to add the most important news to this post after the weekend, if I can).

I'm trying to streamline these weekly round-ups a bit from last year, restricting myself for the most part to just the injuries etc. affecting players that are likely to have a major significance in FPL; and also, of course, only to new injuries - I figure everyone should be aware of players who've already been ruled out for some time!  

[For some years, I have found the 'Injuries & Bans' summary on Fantasy Football Scout the most reliable resource for this kind of information; although this site, Premier League Injuries, is a very good alternative (often a little quicker to update, I think - though it did go through a bit of a glitchy period for a while last year).  Go check these out for more comprehensive coverage. 

I see the Fantasy Premier League site has added an improved 'Player Availability' page this year (though hidden under 'The Scout' tab?!). That also seems to be reasonably comprehensive and up-to-date, but god knows how it's supposed to be 'organised' - maybe by 'date of injury'? Obviously, arranging it by club and alphabetical order would be more sensible; but the denizens of FPL Towers seem to have a deep aversion to the sensible.]

So, what are the conundrums we face ahead of Gameweek 13 (and 14!) of the season?

Does anybody need to be moved out because of injury?

Leandro Trossard had to come off wiith a knock in Wednesday night's game against Bayern, and might now be a doubt against Chelsea. Noni Maduke would presumably take his place on the left wing.

At Bournemouth, Ryan Christie has apparently been playing with discomfort in his knee for some while, and it now looks as if he's going to need a few weeks' rest.

Brentford's Fabio Carvalho apparently suffered an ACL injury in training ahead of last week's game, and will probably miss the rest of the season after having surgery. 

Seamus Coleman pulled a hamstring in Monday night's game at Old Trafford and is likely to be out for some weeks; although he hasn't been getting many minutes this season anyway.

Leeds midfielder Anton Stach had to go off with a head injury against Villa last week, and is likely to miss at least a game or two under 'concussion protocols'. Sean Longstaff is also set to be out for 4-6 weeks after picking up a serious calf injury in training this week, which threatens to leave Leeds light in the engine-room.

Hugo Ekitike appeared to suffer a problem with his back when being forced to come off after about an hour against PSV at Anfield the other night; he now seems doubtful for this weekend, at least. Alisson missed the midweek game against PSV with illness, but is expected to be OK for the West Ham game.

Kieran Trippier apparently has another hamstring problem, which is expected to keep him out for about a month.

Morgan Gibbs-White may be a doubt for the weekend, after missing Thursday night's game against Malmo with a lower-back problem. Murillo also seemed to be in discomfort with his troublesome thigh again in that game, so may also be a question-mark.

In probably the biggest injury news of the week, Matheus Cunha apparently suffered some kind of head injury in training which led to his late omission from Monday's game against Everton, and leaves him still doubtful now (although he hasn't yet found his form for United this season, so is not very high-owned; however, with Mbeumo and Amad Diallo both off to AFCON after this coming week, he might become a more popular choice soon).

Going into the midweek Gameweek (GW14):

William Saliba was a surprise omission against Chelsea on Sunday, having felt a muscle problem after training. No details yet, but it sounds like he might be out for a few weeks.

Georginio Rutter is hobbling after gettting a knock in the game against Forest on Sunday.

Ismaila Sarr jarred his ankle with a heavy landing, and had to come off in the first half against United; looks like a sprain that may keep him out for the rest of the week, at least.

Harry Wilson has been having some trouble with discomfort in his thigh, but Marco Silva seems fairly confident that it shouldn't affect his ability to play against City.

Dan James suffered a hamstring strain in the game against Ciy.

Nick Pope was a late withdrawal against Everton, apparently suffering a groin strain.

Morgan Gibbs-White is doubtful again, after being subbed off in the second-half against Brighton; not clear if he has suffered a new injury, or a flare-up of the lower-back problem that was troubling him last week.

Lucas Paqueta is serving a one-match ban for getting himself sent off for double-dissent against Liverpool at the weekend. Moises Caicedo and Lewis Cook are beginning three-match bans for 'violent conduct' dismissals. And Marcos Senesi and David Brooks have to miss a match after receiving their 5th booking of the season - which could leave Bournemouth significantly weakened for the visit of Everton. Idrissa Gueye serves the second instalment of his three-match ban (for slapping his own player!) in that game.

Did anyone give other cause to consider dropping them?

Idrissa Gana Gueye begins a 3-match 'violent conduct' ban (though to be served within one week, thanks to the fixture logjam!) after being sent off for striking a teammate at Old Trafford on Monday night! Despite David Moyes's attempts to downplay the incident, you wonder if he'll be able to reintegrate into the team that easily after something like that. (Remarkably, this is an issue for nearly 18,000 FPL managers!)

Cristian Romero also misses this gameweek after becoming the latest player to reach the 5-bookings threshold. Several others are close to a 'totting up' suspension.

And I really wouldn't trust anyone in the Manchester United team at the moment, not even Mbeumo and Fernandes, not even against a supposedly weak opponent, because I have no confidence in Ruben Amorim's tactical direction. They were absolutely abysmal in their failure to get anything from a 10-man Everton on Monday night. If they continue like that - and they will, because the main problem is Amorim's insane tactical rigidity - they could struggle against anyone. Spurs players are also looking very unappealing just at the moment.

Did anyone play so well, you have to consider bringing them in immediately?

Morgan Gibbs-White and Morgan Rogers look to be coming into fine form, although the teams around them are still far less convincing - which might restrict their FPL value. Donyell Malen looks even better, whenever he's given a chance; but Emery still seems not to like him as a regular starter for some reason (although, after his outstanding performance and near-hattrick in Thursday night's Europa League victory over Young Boys, it's surely going to be very difficult to start him on the bench again against Wolves).

Callum Wilson, who nabbed a brace of goals against Bournemouth last weekend, is looking fit and confident again; if West Ham's performances continue to pick up, he could become a tempting budget forward option. Danny Welbeck, too, continues rolling back the years with fine performances week after week! And Igor Thiago continues to look in fine form (though I worry slightly whether that awful penalty miss last week may put a bit of a dent in his confidence), and is set to be the week's most transferred-in player (though that, unfortunately, is almost always a curse) - but mainly because he's up against Burnley this Saturday.

Of course, all The Sheep are piling in for Ebere Eze (well, 300,000 so far; he might overtake Thiago as the week's most popular transfer) after his hattrick. I find that utterly daft. He surely won't keep the freer central playmaker role for long, now that Odegaard's ready to return; and even if he did, Trossard and Saka are far more regular goal threats. And I can't imagine any other opponent at The Emirates this season being as bad as Spurs were last Sunday! Great player, but not good value in FPL.

BEST OF LUCK, EVERYONE!