Injury drop - is it key to Blues' improvement?
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Metro
28 minutes ago
- Metro
Tosin Adarabioyo injury latest ahead of West Ham vs Chelsea
Tosin Adarabioyo is expected to return to Chelsea training this week as he looks to make the matchday squad for the trip to West Ham on Friday. The Blues drew 0-0 with Crystal Palace on opening weekend, but were without Tosin after he picked up a knock in training. Enzo Maresca's side are already without Levi Colwill after he suffered an ACL injury in pre-season, and were not keen to take any risks with Tosin. However, The Standard reports that the issue is 'very minor' and that Tosin will likely return to training this week. The 27-year-old remains a doubt for Friday's fixture, though, and Maresca may well choose to stick with the pairing of Trevor Chalobah and Josh Acheampong who kept a clean sheet against Palace. Metro's new weekly football newsletter: In The Mixer. Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk sent straight to your inbox every Friday – sign up, it's an open goal. Speaking about Tosin's injury after the draw with Palace, Maresca said: 'He had a physical problem. We don't know for how long [he will be out].' Tosin was expected to play an increased role this season, after Maresca hinted that the 27-year-old was the only centre-back capable of emulating Colwill's play style. 'When we build, we build with Levi in the middle,' Maresca said. 'Last year, we played 64 games and we played 64 games with Levi and Tosin [Adarabioyo]. Now Levi is out, the only one who can do that job well is Tosin. More Trending 'We have [Jorrel] Hato but he never played as the guy in the middle last season. It is not about central defenders. Yes he is a central defender, but what does he have to do? Can he do that? It is different.' Elsewhere, Wesley Fofana could also be in line for his first minutes since March on Friday after the Frenchman was an unused substitute last time out. 'Wes was on the bench but was just on the bench to be with us and the plan was for him not to get any minutes,' Maresca added. 'Now hopefully for the next one, we can use Wes for some minutes.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Ben Foster names two signings who can save Man Utd from 'mid-table misery' MORE: Chelsea reject Christopher Nkunku offer as Newcastle United re-enter transfer race MORE: Paul Merson 'cannot believe' Chelsea aren't trying to sign £60m star this summer
Metro
28 minutes ago
- Metro
Ben Foster names two signings who can save Man Utd from 'mid-table misery'
Ben Foster says Manchester United have little choice but to sign a 'proper goalkeeper' and should be targeting one of Gianluigi Donnarumma or Emiliano Martinez in order to to escape 'mid-table misery' this season. United were much the better team in their Premier League opener against Arsenal, but were let down by an Altay Bayindir error for Riccardo Calafiori's 13th-minute header, which ultimately proved to be the winner. It was widely assumed that Andre Onana had missed Sunday's 1-0 defeat through injury, but Ruben Amorim confirmed that the Cameroonian was fully fit and his omission was down to the 'balance' of the team. It leaves Amorim with an almighty selection headache ahead of the side's trip to Craven Cottage to face Fulham next weekend, with 39-year-old Tom Heaton the only other option in United's first-team squad. The Red Devils have until the transfer window closes on September 1 to bring in a new shot-stopper and there have been calls for Donnarumma to be brought to Old Trafford after the Italian was discarded by PSG boss Luis Enrique. Metro's new weekly football newsletter: In The Mixer. Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk sent straight to your inbox every Friday – sign up, it's an open goal. Martinez is another goalkeeper who has been linked with a move to the Theatre of Dreams throughout the course of the summer, but Aston Villa are reportedly adamant that their number one is not for sale. 'It just forces Manchester United's hand now to go and sign a proper goalkeeper,' ex-United 'keeper Foster said of Bayindir's shaky display on his Ben Foster – The Cycling GK YouTube channel. 'I think if you can get a Martinez or Donnarumma then you've just got to do it now. You've got to do it. 'If you sign that player then it's going to be the difference between mid-table misery or really pushing for that top six and I think if they can get that goalkeeper in then they can push for the top six. 'I said in our predictions the other day that Manchester United could get a sneaky fourth or fifth, but that's on the proviso that they get a proper goalkeeper in.' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video According to Foster, Amorim should start with veteran goalkeeper Heaton against Fulham should United fail to sign anyone before Sunday's contest. 'You need to be behind the scenes to know where everybody is at. Tom Heaton hasn't played a lot of football,' Foster said of Amorim's options. 'He's played some pre-season friendlies, Onana didn't play any because he got injured and then Bayindir has obviously been fit all the way through. 'I think that's the overriding decision as to why he started the game, but by all accounts Onana is fit now. 'What this does now is it is a massive problem for the next game, it's a massive headache for the next game and it asks all these sorts of questions. There's going to be so much surrounding it coming into that next game. 'Do you start Bayindir, whose confidence will be low after this first game? People will be going, 'Onana isn't much better and there's a lot of pressure on him'… Tom Heaton, I would trust him to give me a six and a half or seven and a half out of ten.' Setting aside United's goalkeeping issues, Foster felt Amorim's men were largely impressive against Arsenal, with new signing Matheus Cunha producing an 'absolutely brilliant' performance. 'I thought they were fantastic in the game and didn't deserve to lose, they definitely didn't deserve to lose the game,' he added. More Trending 'We were buzzing off Cunha and Mbeumo, we were buzzing off that front three a few weeks back and Cunha was just different level. 'He's always positive and he always just looks to go forward. He never looks for the simple option and he'll always try and break ranks or exploit space. 'He'll always try and get his shot off which, at times, does annoy some of the other players because he's happy to shoot from 40 yards at times. 'I thought he was absolutely brilliant and man of the match yesterday.' Who would be the better signing for Man Utd? For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Tosin Adarabioyo injury latest ahead of West Ham vs Chelsea MORE: Chelsea reject Christopher Nkunku offer as Newcastle United re-enter transfer race MORE: Wayne Rooney urges Manchester United to sign two players before transfer deadline
The Independent
28 minutes ago
- The Independent
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers avoids commenting on Jamie Vardy rumours
The Scottish Premiership champions face a deadline of 11 pm on Tuesday to make up to two amendments to their European squad, just hours before they host Kairat Almaty in the first leg on Wednesday. Despite his previous desire for new attacking options, Rodgers indicated he is prepared to proceed with his current roster. "That's what I am feeling at this moment in time," Rodgers stated. "The players that we have will be the players that I trust that can do the job. If we can get some players in before then, that would be amazing but the focus has been very much on what is here at this moment."
