Injury report: Five worries for the weekend

Who is struggling to make the weekend's fixtures? Here's is a look at five who may find their chances in the balance right up to kick-off...

Jonny Evans

Manchester United's Jonny Evans limped off in midweek against Cluj, handing 21-year-old Scott Wootton his Champions League debut. The youngster had only made his full debut a week earlier against Newcastle in the League Cup, where he allowed Papiss Cisse to climb above him and score a goal for the away side. United will hope Evans is fit, but signs so far look 50-50 at best, while Wootton says he is more than ready for Sunday's test at St James Park if required to partner Rio Ferdinand. Good news is the surprise revelation late last night that Chris Smalling is back in training.

Antonio Valencia

Valencia has missed United's last three games, against Newcastle, Tottenham, and Cluj, after injuring his ankle on his lung-busting game changing run at Anfield a fortnight ago. The club will be hoping he is fit enough to make a return, as with Ashley Young injured, Nani is at present the only senior winger available given that Giggs is effectively a central player nowadays. The fact the game is late on Sunday gives him extra recovery time, and we suspect he may just end up being available, even though there has been no official word either way as yet.

Jose Bosingwa

QPR could really do with their first choice defence available, but Champions League winning right-back has been out with a hamstring complaint. The defender had been pencilled in for a return this weekend, but the club is yet to confirm this is so. This usually means the fitness race is still ongoing, and the club will want all the experience they have to hand for a tricky tie at the Hawthorns, as they go in search of their first win.

Carlos Cuellar

Sunderland have reported good news that defender Carlos Cuellar is back in training after his hamstring injury, but are no closer at present to divulging whether he will be available for the weekend's away trip to Manchester City. The Spaniard has been out for a fortnight, and his recovery has been quicker than first anticipated, but Martin O'Neill will not want to rush him back too soon and suffer a setback.

Ashley Williams

Swansea City may be without defender Ashley Williams for this weekend's visit of Reading. The club are four games without a win, but Reading are still hunting their first win of the season, so it is all to play for at the Liberty Stadium. The captain is battling both a virus and an ankle injury, which has kept him out of training all week. Garry Monk and Alan Tate are in contention to replace him if he does not make it for the 3pm Saturday kick-off.

images: © apasciuto, © Magnus D