Unai Emery, the manager of Aston Villa, has recently announced that forward Marcus Rashford will not be participating in the team’s upcoming Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur on Friday night. This unfortunate news indicates that Rashford has played his final game for the club this season, as he is also set to miss the last Premier League fixture against his parent club, Manchester United. Alongside Rashford, Villa will be missing another key player, Youri Tielemans, who is sidelined due to injury. Additionally, Jacob Ramsey will also be unavailable due to a suspension.
In his pre-match press conference, Emery stated, “Youri Tielemans and Marcus are not available, and Jacob Ramsey is suspended.” He emphasized the importance of monitoring the injured players as he reflected on the need to assess their recovery, saying, “We have to do each step forward, testing and analysing how they are recovering. I don’t know exactly if they (injured players) will be (available next week).” Despite the setbacks, Emery noted that the injured players are working hard daily at the club’s training facilities and are feeling better.
In another development, Tottenham Hotspur has been dealt a significant blow with the news that Dejan Kulusevski will be out for the remainder of the season after undergoing knee surgery following an injury sustained during a match against Crystal Palace. The impact of this injury means that Kulusevski will miss not only Tottenham’s final two Premier League matches of the season, including the crucial encounter against Aston Villa, but also the UEFA Europa League final against Manchester United, which is scheduled to be broadcast live on TNT Sports and discovery+ next Wednesday.
Amidst this setback, manager Ange Postecoglou shared some positive news, confirming that Son Heung-min will be available for the match against Villa. Postecoglou expressed regret over Kulusevski’s condition, stating, “Disappointing news [regarding Kulusevski’s injury]. Initially, we thought it wasn’t too serious. However, we were concerned structurally, and unfortunately, he required surgery that will keep him out for at least a few months.” In a brighter note about Son, Postecoglou reassured fans, “He will definitely play tomorrow,” suggesting that they will assess whether to start him based on his fitness.
Meanwhile, Chelsea’s predicament isn’t any better, as Enzo Maresca confirmed that players Christopher Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson, and Marc Guiu will be absent for the upcoming match against Manchester United due to injuries. Fortunately for Chelsea, captain Reece James has recovered from an illness and participated in training sessions. Maresca updated reporters, saying, “Christo [Nkunku] is still out,” and added, “Unfortunately, Marc Guiu is still coming back from injury.”
In Manchester, United manager Ruben Amorim is erring on the side of caution with his sidelined players. He has opted not to risk defenders Diogo Dalot, Matthijs de Ligt, and Leny Yoro in the crucial match against Chelsea as they are viewed as potential assets for the upcoming UEFA Europa League final against Tottenham. Amorim was clear about the need to protect their health, stating, “I don’t want to risk Dalot because when you start getting one injury, the second injury could become a big problem.” He reassured that all players are working hard to return for the European showdown.
In addition to these developments, there is hopeful news from Arsenal as manager Mikel Arteta suggested that Kai Havertz could make his comeback in the match against Newcastle this Sunday following a hamstring injury sustained back in February. Arteta mentioned, “We’re going to decide that tomorrow,” regarding Havertz’s fit status, mentioning the importance of medical staff input. With other key players such as Declan Rice and Gabriel Martinelli potentially facing late fitness tests, the situation remains fluid.
Lastly, Crystal Palace is gearing up for their FA Cup final against Manchester City with the positive news of Adam Wharton’s full recovery from an earlier knock. Manager Oliver Glasner expressed satisfaction regarding the squad’s fitness, noting, “It’s positive news, everyone is fit,” adding that Wharton has trained well throughout the week.
These recent updates from various clubs highlight the intense nature of injury management and player fitness as teams aim to finish the season strongly while preparing for substantial fixtures ahead.
