As the Premier League relegation battle reaches its exciting conclusion, now is the time for each of the players involved to stand up and be counted. The same foes for the managers of Leeds United, Everton and Burnley who have a few more huge decisions to make to give their teams the best chance of survival.
The majority of those decisions will be made regarding team selection, choices that are made much tougher by an accumulation of absentees. Each of the three teams bidding to avoid relegation have players injured or suspended for the final games of the season and we have put together a full round-up of those who aren’t, and might not be, available for the final week of the season.
Leeds United
Under Marcelo Bielsa and now Jesse Marsch, Leeds have endured a rotten season on the injury front. Just as it seemed to be easing, the list was lengthened at the worst possible time and that wasn’t helped by three-game bans for two of the club’s regular starters.
Read more: What Leeds United need to happen to ensure Premier League survival following Brighton draw
Luke Ayling and Dan James won’t play again after being sent off against Arsenal and Chelsea respectively while Stuart Dallas, Adam Forshaw, Tyler Roberts and Crysencio Summerville’s injuries will keep them out until next season. It remains touch and go as to whether Patrick Bamford will be involved at Brentford but his lack of match sharpness might keep him out even if he is deemed fit.
Everton
Frank Lampard’s centre-back crisis at Everton was made much worse when Jarrad Branthwaite was sent off on Sunday. He joins Yerry Mina and Ben Godfrey as being unavailable for the visit of Crystal Palace on Thursday evening.
Michael Keane could return to the backline this week after Lampard confirmed he missed the Brentford defeat with illness. Donny van de Beek could also come back into the squad after he too missed the Bees clash.
Meanwhile, Salomon Rondon’s late red card means he won’t play again this season as well as the injured duo Nathan Patterson and Andros Townsend. Fabian Delph may recover from the injury that kept him out on Sunday but Lampard wasn’t confident that he will be back in time to have an impact in the last two games.
Burnley
Like Everton, Burnley have been rocked in recent weeks by injuries to key players. Ben Mee, James Tarkowski and Jay Rodriguez have all missed important recent fixtures but could come back into the fold for their final two games, according to Jackson.
He also confirmed that Dale Stephens and Erik Pieters, who weren’t involved at Spurs, may be fit to play a part this week as both were ‘precautionary’ absentees. Meanwhile, Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Ashley Westwood and Matej Vydra won’t play again this season.
