Latest on Naby Keita, Victor Lindelof, Hakim Ziyech and more ahead of Gameweek 16

Among the many Premier League’s nice festive traditions is the prolonged harm record that piles up between Christmas and the New 12 months as fixture congestion begins to take its toll.

Solely luck has stopped the state of affairs being even worse on this unconventional season, with such a brief build-up to the 2020-21 marketing campaign worsening the pressure on prime flight gamers.

Nonetheless, there are a variety of high-profile names who’ve suffered setbacks since Boxing Day, with Liverpool‘s defensive disaster deteriorating as soon as once more.

They don’t seem to be the one membership who discover their harm worries mounting heading into the final gameweek of the calendar year, with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Southampton and Sheffield United additionally lacking key males.

Right here is the most recent harm information forward of the subsequent spherical of matches.

Joel Matip (Liverpool)

With Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez each out for the foreseeable future, Jurgen Klopp was at the least buoyed by the return of Joel Matip. That was earlier than the centre-back was pressured off within the second half of the Reds’ 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion on Sunday with an adductor injury.

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Liverpool will assess him on Monday, with Klopp unable to substantiate what number of video games he’s set to overlook. “I’m not certain how critical it’s now, nevertheless it was critical sufficient that he needed to go away the pitch,” he stated. “The remainder of the knowledge I’ll get [on Monday].”

Naby Keita (Liverpool)

Even earlier than Matip’s harm, Klopp had acquired contemporary dangerous information regarding Naby Keita. The midfielder was unable to begin towards the Baggies with an unspecified “health concern”. The Guinea worldwide has been plagued with harm issues since arriving at Anfield in 2018.

“He felt a muscle once more,” Klopp advised reporters on Sunday night time. “I don’t know precisely how lengthy [it will be], however he was not prepared for at present and never for Wednesday, I believe. We’ll see.”

Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea)

Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech was anticipated to return on Boxing Day towards Arsenal, however he was sorely missed as his facet lacked creativity in an abject 3-1 defeat on the Emirates.

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Frank Lampard has admitted the Moroccan may miss the Blues’ subsequent recreation towards Aston Villa, grouping him with Ben Chilwell who was a doubt. “I can’t offer you a solution [if they’ll play] in the meanwhile,” Lampard stated forward of Saturday’s London derby. “I’m undecided if they are going to be match for both recreation [against Arsenal and Aston Villa].”

Whereas Chilwell ultimately began towards Arsenal, whether or not Ziyech will likely be match to face Villa stays unclear.

Victor Lindelof (Man Utd)

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed Lindelof needed to be taken off in Manchester United’s 2-2 draw with Leicester City on Boxing Day attributable to a recurrence of his power again downside. The Swedish worldwide has battled the issue for over a 12 months.

Solskjaer stopped in need of discussing precisely what remedy the defender would require, however admitted to BT Sport that “we would should do one thing, let’s see what it’s.” Lindelof is unlikely to play any half in United’s upcoming fixtures towards Wolves and Aston Villa within the coming week.

Jannik Vestergaard (Southampton)

With Southampton already lacking Danny Ings and Nathan Redmond with muscle accidents, Ralph Hasenhuttl now has one other concern with defender Jannik Vestergaard dominated out for a month with a knee harm.

The Dane missed the weekend’s draw with Fulham and is anticipated to overlook round a month. “Jannik is certainly out for 4 weeks – or much more. I don’t know,” Hasenhuttl advised a press convention.

Thomas Partey (Arsenal)

Partey hasn’t featured because the 2-0 defeat to Tottenham within the north London derby, however Mikel Arteta has offered a optimistic replace after suggesting he’s set to return to coaching within the coming days.

“He hasn’t began to coach with us but so I believe he’s nonetheless a couple of extra days away,” the Arsenal boss stated after seeing the midfielder miss out towards Chelsea.

James Rodriguez (Everton)

Everton have suffered a double blow forward of Monday night time’s journey to Manchester Metropolis with each Richarlison (concussion) and James Rodriguez (calf) on the sidelines.

The Colombian’s harm was initially regarded as nothing greater than a minor tweak, however he may have missed at the least six video games since he isn’t anticipated to return this 12 months, lacking out towards Metropolis and within the New 12 months’s Day conflict with West Ham.

Sander Berge (Sheff Utd)

As if Sheffield United’s plight weren’t determined sufficient as they withstand the prospect of coming into 2021 with simply two factors, Chris Wilder has confirmed midfielder Sander Berge has undergone surgical procedure for a thigh harm.

Wilder described it as “an enormous blow for us with him being out between 3/4 months”.

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