LONDON - Injury news ahead of this weekend's FA Cup and
Premier League matches:
Nicolas Anelka will miss Chelsea's FA Cup
quarter-final at Coventry City on Saturday because
of a toe injury while defender Paulo Ferreira will miss the rest of
the season because of a cruciate ligament injury he suffered on
Thursday.
Michael Essien and Ricardo Carvalho, who have begun their
comebacks from long-term injuries by playing for the reserves, will
be in the squad as will Ashley Cole, who was arrested and charged
with being drunk and disorderly on Thursday morning.
Coventry will be without full-back Daniel Fox, who has an
injured knee. Striker Leon Best, who scored Coventry's winner
against Blackburn Rovers in the fifth round, has recovered from a
throat infection and will wear a mask to protect a fractured
cheekbone.
Theo Walcott, who has not played since November because of a
shoulder injury, could return to the Arsenal squad
for their delayed fifth round tie against Burnley
on Sunday. Striker Eduardo could also be in contention after
recovering from a hamstring injury.
Kolo Toure (calf) will not play, although William Gallas has
recovered from an ankle injury.
Burnley, who knocked Arsenal out of the League Cup in December,
will be without defenders Rhys Williams and Michael Duff for the
match at the Emirates.
Duff is serving a one-match suspension while Williams, who is on
loan from Middlesbrough, has not been given permission to play by
his parent club.
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said he
had no new injury worries before the quarter-final at
Fulham but would re-shuffle his squad following
Wednesday's 2-1 win at Newcastle United.
Ferguson, who is taking a 20-man squad to Craven Cottage, said:
"It certainly helps us to make changes. We played on a tiring pitch
at Wembley then we had to travel back home and up to the
north-east, which itself can be exhausting."
Everton manager David Moyes is hoping
midfielders Tim Cahill, Steven Pienaar and Leon Osman are all fit
for their quarter-final against Middlesbrough on
Sunday.
All three missed training this week after taking knocks in the
0-0 draw with Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday. Brazilian striker Jo,
on loan from Manchester City, is cup-tied.
Sunderland midfielder Teemu Tainio will miss
the match against his former club Tottenham
Hotspur because of a knee injury. It is the only Premier
League game being played on Saturday.
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is hoping Ledley King will be
back in defence after missing Wednesday's 4-0 win over
Middlesbrough.
King, who has an ongoing knee condition, played two matches in
six days last week, but Redknapp said: "His problem is he cannot do
it on Saturday and midweek."
