Leroy Sane, John McGinn and David Brooks among the Premier League players raring to go ahead of return on Wednesday
Wednesday 17 June 2020 07:41, UK
The Premier League is gearing up for a return to action, but which players are back fit with a quarter of the season still to play? Sky Sports provides a club-by-club health check.
The lockdown has afforded on-loan Southampton full-back Cedric Soares the chance to earn a permanent switch after making a full recovery from a knee injury that has kept him sidelined throughout his time at the Emirates.
Lucas Torreira, who faced a long period out with an ankle injury sustained in the FA Cup win over Portsmouth, has also been able to resume light training following a fracture of the fibula.
The Uruguayan looked to have played his last game this season when he was ruled out for 10 weeks on March 9 - but he is now expected to play his part.
Full-backs Kieran Tierney (match fitness) and Sead Kolasinac (shoulder) are also back available while there is even an outside chance of Calum Chambers (knee) being fit should the season spill into August.
Another team to have potentially benefited from having a number of weeks to get members of the first-team squad back up to speed for the run-in. Dean Smith will be able to call upon a fully fit John McGinn, who has missed the last 10 Premier League games with a broken ankle.
Villa removed goalkeeper Tom Heaton and striker Wesley from their 25-man squad in January due to injury - and the pair are unlikely to feature again this season after the Premier League confirmed that clubs will not be able to amend the 25-man squad list that was submitted in January.
The current stance is that every application will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and any return to a squad would require special dispensation from a Premier League panel.
But given that Villa boast two senior goalkeepers behind Pepe Reina - Jed Steer and Orjan Nyland - they will not be able to re-register Heaton.
In terms of Wesley's registration, Villa can call upon Borja Baston, Keinan Davis and Mbwana Samatta, meaning Wesley's case would only be considered if all three were to suffer injuries.
Bournemouth recorded the most injuries prior to football being suspended on March 13, and with the club stationed just inside the relegation zone, the break has enabled Eddie Howe to get many of his first-team squad back to full fitness ahead of the congested run-in.
David Brooks returned to training in February and was being eased back into the fold after a lengthy absence following ankle surgery. He is still to play this season, but the Wales international is back and ready to hit the ground running.
The 22-year-old is not the only player who has rejoined full training, with Arnaut Danjuma Groeneveld (ankle) and Steve Cook (thigh) both back fit.
Charlie Daniels has resumed outdoor running for the first time in nine months after suffering a patella dislocation, but is still some weeks away from full fitness.
Simon Francis and Chris Mepham (both knee) are closing in on a return and have been working on their rehab programmes during the break.
Alexis MacAllister was on the Brighton bench for the first time during their last Premier League game - a 0-0 draw with Wolves at Molineux.
Graham Potter had three players on the treatment table before the break - Aaron Connolly (ankle), Steven Alzate (groin) and Jose Izquierdo (knee). Potter had initially hoped to have had Izquierdo available by the end of February.
Most frustratingly, the Colombian picked up a cartilage injury while on international duty, and he is continuing his recovery in his homeland following minor surgery.
Izquierdo is the only definite injury absentee, but Potter has revealed that Alzate will be managed due to his niggling groin issue. The Colombian was scheduled for surgery in March before it was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Chris Wood was not involved in an arranged friendly against Preston at the weekend, sparking fears that an Achilles problem will keep him out of the restart.
But Burnley manager Sean Dyche will welcome back a quartet of previously injured players for the remaining games.
Matthew Lowton (knee), Johann Berg Gudmundsson (calf), Ashley Barnes (groin) and Jay Rodriguez (knee) will all be available for selection.
Rodriguez said on his rehabilitation last month: "It is going really well, I have been set up with a programme and ticked all the boxes so far.
"I am out on the grass now with the ball. I am setting up my own drills which is a bit strange, I look like a really keen fitness guy! People are looking at me like I am a weirdo! It is something I have to do to tick the boxes. I feel good, feel strong and ready to go and want to keep my fitness up with the rehab.
"When the time comes we want to be ready to fire and carry the run on that we are on. That is the main thing we are thinking of as a team. The bigger picture is everyone's safety but when we get the call to go back in we will be ready."
Frank Lampard's side went into football's shutdown on a high having knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup in the same week they thrashed Everton at Stamford Bridge to cement their place in the Premier League's top four.
This came despite a long list of absentees - many of whom will be back to help in the quest to consolidate Champions League football next season.
N'Golo Kante (groin), Tammy Abraham (ankle), Callum Hudson-Odoi (hamstring) and Mateo Kovacic (Achilles) have been training as normal.
Christian Pulisic (thigh), Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Andreas Christensen (match fitness) have also returned to training meaning that Lampard will have virtually a full squad to pick from.
Marco van Ginkel (knee) has stepped up his fitness after a two-year lay-off while Jorginho still has to complete the second part of a two-game suspension following his 10th yellow card.
Jeffrey Schlupp has not featured for Crystal Palace since December after being withdrawn during the 0-0 draw with Watford at Vicarage Road with a torn hip tendon.
But the Ghanaian international was closing in on a return from injury ahead of the suspension of Premier League football. It means that for the first time this season, Roy Hodgson will have a fully fit squad.
Mamadou Sakho, James Tomkins and James McCarthy (all hamstring) will join the rest of the squad for training at their Beckenham base.
Carlo Ancelotti had been managing a shortage of midfield options prior to the break - and he was dealt a blow on the same day the season's return date was confirmed as the club revealed Jean-Philippe Gbamin would require surgery on a serious Achilles injury sustained in training.
Defender Yerry Mina was ruled out for "several weeks" after suffering a muscle injury on May 29. A scan confirmed the Colombia centre-back sustained a partial tear in his left quad muscle during training.
Morgan Schneiderlin is back building up fitness after six weeks on crutches following surgery on a knee injury.
Forward Theo Walcott will miss the restart to the Premier League season after undergoing abdominal surgery, while Fabian Delph and Andre Gomes will be monitored after being forced to miss training through injury.
Bernard was withdrawn at half-time of the defeat to Chelsea in Gameweek 29 with a knock, but he joins Seamus Coleman (thigh) in being back available.
Striker Cenk Tosun returned to the club from his Crystal Palace loan spell after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury. He is expected to be out for at least six months, which would still rule him out for the rest of the season.
There was hope Ricardo Pereira (knee) would become the first player to not miss a Premier League game after damaging his knee ligaments. The Portuguese full-back sustained the injury in the 4-0 win over Aston Villa.
But Pereira, having stepped up his gym work, is expected to be out until mid-July at the earliest with the congested fixture list meaning it is unlikely the 26-year-old will be risked after such a serious injury. James Justin is expected to step up in his place.
Ayoze Perez is a doubt for the opening fixture against Watford with a muscle injury, while Daniel Amartey suffered a setback in his recovery from a broken leg which had left him sidelined for over a year, but Rodgers has the rest of his first-team squad available.
Liverpool would surely have been crowned Premier League champions by now, but who is back in contention to play their part in the procession?
Goalkeeper Alisson missed the visit of Bournemouth and the Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid with a hip injury but the Brazilian will take his place in the side once more.
Captain Jordan Henderson missed the last four Premier League games with a hamstring injury but is back training, alongside fellow midfielder Naby Keita (hip).
Xherdan Shaqiri has only made six league appearances this season owing to a persistent calf injury, but the Swiss winger will hope to feature in some capacity during the remaining games.
Nathaniel Clyne is entering the last month of his contract, and the right-back has missed the entire season with an ACL injury meaning it is likely he has played his last Liverpool game.
Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson did not feature in the 6-0 friendly win over Blackburn last week, but the club said there were no injury concerns surrounding the two players.
Pep Guardiola will have a full fit squad to choose from when the season resumes with Aymeric Laporte (hamstring) and Leroy Sane (knee) back available.
Sane was ready to step back into the fold at City just as football shut down amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The German winger said last month: "After being injured for such a long time I didn't want to jump straight back in again, but rather take the time that my body needed.
"That's why I suggested that I should play for the youth team first so that I could get used to the speed of the game step by step. Lots of people were surprised but for me it was the logical first step to make; that's what I planned to do from the start and what I told the coach.
"Overall I felt really good and was on the right track; I was on the verge of making my comeback. I still need one or two competitive games to get back to full fitness so that I can get my confidence back again, which is very important."
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are three points off Chelsea in fourth, and they have been boosted by the return to fitness of several members of the first-team squad.
Paul Pogba (ankle) was on the brink of returning to the fold at the time of the Premier League being halted - and both he and Marcus Rashford (back) featured in the behind-closed-doors friendly with West Brom.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah had lacked match fitness following an ACL injury prior to the shutdown while Daniel James (also match fitness), Harry Maguire (ankle), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (back) and Diogo Dalot (unspecified) are also ready to hit the ground running once more.
Solskjaer said in February that Lee Grant would be out for "two or three months" following surgery on a hand injury, meaning he could be back available for the run-in.
Steve Bruce has had perhaps the most eventful period away from the day-to-day given Newcastle's prospective takeover, but there is very little change on the injury front.
Ciaran Clark (ankle) and Jetro Willems (knee) are all long-term absentees and not expected to recover until August.
In the case of Paul Dummett (hamstring), the defender has returned to training but as he was omitted from Newcastle's 25-man squad in January on the grounds that it was thought he would miss the rest of the season, he will not be in contention for the remaining matches.
Sean and Matty Longstaff missed Newcastle's win over Hull City through injury but both are not thought to be serious.
There was no Dwight Gayle or Christian Atsu either but Andy Carroll made his return following a persistent hip problem to mend and Emil Krafth has also recovered from an ankle injury.
Perhaps most crucially is the fitness of goalkeeper Martin Dubravka who was sidelined with a knee problem which appeared to rule him out for the rest of the season.
But the Slovakian stopper said last month: "I'm getting better every day. I'm nearly there. My knee is 85-90 per cent healed."
An unnamed Norwich player has tested positive for coronavirus in the latest round of testing - meaning he will miss the Premier League game against Southampton this Friday.
He must self-isolate for seven days, which rules him out of Norwich's Premier League game against Southampton on Friday.
Sam Byram (hamstring) was ruled out for the rest of the season by manager Daniel Farke in February, but the right-back could yet feature following surgery.
Byram was expected to be absent for four months, meaning he should return to training in June provided there are no more complications.
Christoph Zimmermann (hamstring) and Onel Hernandez (knee) are both looking forward to getting back on the pitch after recovering from their respective injuries.
Timm Klose had returned to full training before the lockdown following knee damage sustained in August but the defender will need some match practice before he is back up to full speed.
Chris Wilder will take comfort from having a fully fit squad heading into his side's final 10 games of the campaign.
Enda Stevens was ruled out for just a fortnight by his manager following the win over Norwich - but he has now had plenty of time to recover from a calf injury.
Stuart Armstrong was forced to sit out Southampton's last fixture with Newcastle due to concussion while Nathan Redmond was expected to be sidelined until April with a groin injury. Both are now back fit, along with Will Smallbone, who was overcoming a bout of illness.
Shane Long missed the friendly against Bristol City, meaning Michael Obafemi could feature alongside Danny Ings against Norwich.
Moussa Djenepo will start a three-game suspension when the season returns following his red card against Steve Bruce's side, but Ralph Hasenhuttl has no other first-team absentees.
Harry Kane, Moussa Sissoko and Steven Bergwijn have all recovered from their long-term injuries, but Jose Mourinho is uncertain how long it will be before they play once football does return.
"For them, it's many, many weeks of injury, and when the injury was arriving at an end, we stopped training," he told Sky Sports in April.
"I don't know, they don't know, we have to wait for the right permission for them to train again in groups to see if they can come back to a normal competition level."
Dele Alli will serve a one-match suspension but club captain Hugo Lloris is fit after recovering from a nasty elbow dislocation earlier this season, and Heung-Min Son is back following his own arm injury.
Gerard Deulofeu is living with his physiotherapist during lockdown in Spain in order to return to fitness as soon as possible.
The 26-year-old winger needed knee surgery after being carried off on a stretcher during his side's 3-0 win over Liverpool in March. The Spaniard is still expected to miss the rest of the season having only just started to walk without crutches.
Danny Welbeck had featured four times since returning from a hamstring injury and the striker will hope for an injury-free run of form to help Watford's quest for survival.
Daryl Janmaat went to see a specialist after reporting fluid in his knee but it is likely the Dutchman will not feature again this season. Jose Holebas (ankle) and Isaac Success (thigh) have been making improvements and will be back in contention.
Adam Masina, Craig Cathcart and Roberto Pereyra missed out in the friendly against Brentford because of minor issues, while Kiko Femenia and Will Hughes were taken off as a precaution.
David Moyes was facing the prospect of being without several first-team players during the spring months in his battle to stave off relegation, with Andriy Yarmolenko (thigh), Tomas Soucek (thigh) and Ryan Fredericks (shoulder) facing a period on the sidelines.
But only Jack Wilshere (hernia) remains a doubt over his participation this season. May was marked for a potential return for the midfielder, and Wilshere has not played since October due to a groin problem.
After posting a video of him playing football with his wife on social media during the break, the 28-year-old will hope the final quarter of the season provides an opportunity to get his career back on track.
Morgan Gibbs-White will re-join the group ahead of the return to action after being sidelined with an ankle injury, but Nuno Espirito Santo has virtually a fully fit squad.
Left-back Jonny Otto missed Wolves' last four matches after taking a knock to the ankle during his side's win over Norwich in February - but the Spaniard should be back to compete with Ruben Vinagre for a starting berth.
