Tag Archives: setback

Owen faces new injury setback

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Manchester United (9/2 to win the Premier League) striker Michael Owen is set to spend yet more time on the sidelines after picking up another hamstring injury in training.

The former Liverpool and Real Madrid forward was due to play for United in their Carling Cup clash against Wolves at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

However Owen was withdrawn from the match not long before kick-off as the defending champions beat Wolves 3-2.

The 30-year-old was disappointed to pick up yet another injury after struggling with muscle problems throughout his career.

He said: “I’ve trained for a week and had a setback with another muscle injury.

“I’ve got some damage in my hamstring and will be out for the next few weeks unfortunately,” he added.

Owen has only started one Premier League match for United this season after he took the field at the Stadium Light for the Red Devil’s 0-0 draw with Sunderland.

However the former England striker has looked good when he has had an opportunity by Sir Alex Ferguson scoring two goals in the Carling Cup and a goal at the Reebok Stadium after coming on as a substitute against Bolton in the Premier League.

Ferguson has been hoping that Owen and fellow front man Wayne Rooney could rekindle their partnership when the pair played together for the Three Lions.

However it has been rare that the two players have been in the same United (11/2 to win the FA Cup)  line-up and currently both players are on the sidelines.

Revelations about Rooney’s private life and more recently contract issues have meant it has been a difficult time for the former Everton player but Owen believes hype surrounding the player has not affected his team-mates at Old Trafford.

He said: “I don’t think (there was) any (affect), really.

“Everyone seems to be happy now. The club have got a world-class player signed for five years and obviously Wayne’s happy and the manager’s happy.

“Wayne is obviously ambitious and the club’s ambitious. He wouldn’t have signed if he had any doubts,” he added.

United will be hoping that Rooney will return to the form that saw him ranked as one of the best players in the world after scoring 34 goals in 44 appearances for the Old Trafford side last season.

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Liverpool confirm Kuyt setback

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Liverpool (6/4 – 2010-11 Top Four Finish) have said that Dirk Kuyt will be sidelined for four weeks, after suffering a shoulder injury whilst on international duty.

The Reds forward picked up the problem during training with the Netherlands squad (2/7f – to win Euro 2012 Group E) on Monday and was flown back to the UK for further treatment.

The 30-year-old underwent tests and the Liverpool club doctor Peter Brukner confirmed that Kuyt is likely to be missing for a month.

Having suffered “damage to the A-C joint”, the Dutchman is set to miss several big games for his club over the coming weeks.

Kuyt, who scored in the Netherlands 5-0 win over San Marino on Friday, looks set to be sidelined for six Liverpool (11/1 – to win 2010-11 Europa League) matches.

The former Feyenoord man is expected to miss the Premier League games against Birmingham, Manchester United and Sunderland, the Europa League fixtures with Steaua Bucharest and FC Utrecht, as well as the Carling Cup tie against Northampton.

The absence of Kuyt, who had been linked with a summer move to Inter Milan, will be a major blow to Roy Hodgson, who is already short of attacking options.

There has been some welcome news though for the Reds boss, regarding the fitness of Fernando Torres.

The Spaniard’s start to the season has been sporadic because of an injury sustained in this summer?s World Cup final.

The Reds’ medical team were keen to make sure that he is not rushed back too soon, despite the fans eagerness to see Torres firing in the goals.

But the striker showed in the recent win over West Brom, when he scored the only goal, that he is making good progress and has promised the supporters that the best is yet to come.

The 26-year-old said: “The recuperation is perfect and we have waited our time. I am still not 100 per cent, but the people will soon see the best Torres.

“Each time I am recuperating sensations and I hope to obtain success with Liverpool this season.”

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Gunners hit by Nasri setback

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Arsenal (4/9 for a Top 4 Finish) will be without Samir Nasri for the next month after the midfielder was told by medics that he needs a knee operation.

The Frenchman suffered the injury in Sunday’s opening Premier League game against Liverpool, in which Arsenal secured a point with a late equaliser.

After scans, it was revealed that Nasri had suffered a meniscal injury and minor surgery is required to resolve the issue.

A club statement read: “Samir Nasri will today undergo minor surgery on his knee following a meniscal injury sustained against Liverpool on Sunday. Nasri will be out of action for a month.”

It’s yet another injury setback for Arsene Wenger, who is already without three first-team midfielders with Alex Song, Denilson and Aaron Ramsey still sidelined.

There are also question marks over the fitness of skipper Cesc Fabregas, who was forced to sit out the 1-1 draw at Anfield due to a chest infection.

Nasri will now be forced to miss Saturday’s home clash with Blackpool (Arsenal 1/7, Draw 6/1, Blackpool 14/1 – Match Betting), as well as the away trip to Blackburn on August 28.

An international break in early September will come at a good time for the 23-year-old, who may target a return to the squad for the visit of Bolton to the Emirates on September 11.

Meanwhile, the Gunners’ opponents on Saturday, Blackpool, could had a debut to a new signing this weekend.

Israeli defender Dekel Keinan is the latest new addition at Bloomfield Road, after penning a one-year deal with the option to extend the deal by another 12 months.

The 25-year-old joins the Tangerines (9/4 To Stay Up) on a free transfer from Maccabi Haifa and becomes Blackpool’s seventh new signing this summer.

Keinan has already been granted a work permit and will go straight into Ian Holloway’s squad for the trip to north London.

The defender insisted: “I am looking forward to the first game and I’m very happy everything is done.

“I had different offers but after I met the gaffer I was sure that I wanted to play for Blackpool.”

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Torres suffers injury setback

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Spain’s Football Federation has confirmed that Fernando Torres ruptured a muscle in his left thigh during the World Cup final and is a huge doubt for the start of Liverpool’s season (12/1 Premier League outright).

The 26-year-old hitman has had a dreadful run of luck with injuries over the past 12 months, with his domestic season at Anfield constantly interrupted by problems.

Torres struggled to make the Spain squad for the World Cup because of injuries to his right knee but managed to feature in all of his country’s matches.

However, the former Atletico Madrid forward didn’t look fit and constantly seemed off the pace as he struggled to get into the games.

He was eventually dropped from Vicente del Bosque’s starting XI, with Barcelona’s Pedro taking his place in the semi-final and final.

Torres did come off the bench in both matches against Germany and Holland but failed to make a telling impact.

His showing against the Dutch in Sunday’s final was cut short when he pulled up with the thigh problem just minutes before the end of the game.

Torres’ injury didn’t hinder the Spanish who went on to claim their first ever World Cup thanks to Andres Iniesta’s goal.

The Liverpool striker has since returned to Spain and undergone a scan which has revealed a problem with his left thigh.

A statement on the SFF’s website confirmed Torres had a magnetic resonance scan at the Cemtro de Madrid Clinic and evidence was found of “a Grade 1 muscle fibre rupture in the left thigh”.

While a grade one tear is the least serious type of rupture it still means Torres (11/2 Premier League top scorer) has little chance of recovering in time for the start of the new season.

While the injury isn’t the news new manager Roy Hodgson had wanted to hear it could mean that clubs who were thinking about making a bid for the striker may be put off from doing so.

The likes of Chelsea and Manchester City have been linked with Torres, who is thought to have become disillusioned with life.

However, after Spain’s victory on Sunday Torres was seen celebrating while wearing a Liverpool scarf, a picture which has given everyone hope he will stay on Merseyside according to Hodgson.

“As Liverpool manager, I take great pride in the fact that two of our players can call themselves World Cup winners this summer,” said Hodgson.

“I think it’s safe to say the pictures of Fernando in the dressing room with the World Cup certainly went down well with our fans, but the club can be proud of all the players who went away to the World Cup.”

Torres’ injury means Liverpool look certain to kick off the campaign against Arsenal (7/4 – 90 minutes) without their star name as they look to improve to stay connected to the rest of the big four.

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