Injury briefing: suspensions and injury doubts for the weekend football

Injury briefing

Chelsea defeated and depleted

Chelsea's Champions League hopes are hanging by a thread after their 3-0 loss at home to Bayern Munich on Tuesday and they must contest next month's second leg in Bavaria without suspended midfielder Jorginho, who picked up his third yellow card of the competition.

The bad news did not end with the final whistle because Tammy Abraham failed with due to an ankle knock sustained in a second half challenge with Bayern defender Jerome Boateng.

Abraham may be doubtful for Saturday's Premier League clash at Bournemouth and Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has confirmed that key midfielder N'Golo Kante will be absent as he continues his rehabilitation from an adductor strain.

Christian Pulisic – unavailable since New Year's Day with a groin strain – remains sidelined but long-term absentee Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Achilles) could be involved after returning to the substitutes' bench for last Saturday's 2-1 victory at home to Tottenham.

Crystal Palace pair in contention

Crystal Palace have picked up just one point from their last three clashes against Brighton but may fancy their chances on the south coast tomorrow after receiving some good news on the injury front.

Midfielder Luka Milivojevic has returned to full training after missing last Saturday's 1-0 success at home to Newcastle through illness, and he was joined by central defender Mamadou Sakho (hamstring), who is pushing to make his first appearance since New Year's Day.

Jeffrey Schlupp (hip) was also put through his paces although it is less certain whether he will be ready to feature for the first time since December.

And there is a doubt over defender James Tomkins, who missed the Newcastle match with an unspecified injury.

Midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate suffered an ankle knock last weekend but fears were quickly allayed by Palace manager Roy Hodgson, who said the injury is not serious.

Brentford's Bees stung by injuries

Sky Bet Championship highflyers Brentford have been losing ground in the battle for automatic promotion and may continue to stutter until a few of their key players are ready to return from injury.

Bees manager Thomas Frank identified poor defending as a key reason for the 2-1 loss at Luton on Tuesday, although there were contributing factors with influential centre-backs Pontus Jansson and Julian Jeanvier unable to take part through injury.

Jansson has not featured since January and Jeanvier joined him in the treatment room after failing to complete the first half of last Saturday's 2-2 draw at home Birmingham.

Brentford still have a strong defensive record having conceded 31 goals in 35 league games, but have not kept a clean sheet in eight games and are not defending as well as they were earlier in the season.

Frank is also hampered by the absence of midfielders Mathias Jensen and Kamohelo Mokotjo, winger Sergi Canos and striker Nikos Karelis.

Ipswich Town face striker shortage

Ipswich have fallen off the Sky Bet League One promotion pace and their chances of getting back into the top six could be hampered by a lack of firepower with their leading scorers, 11-goal James Norwood and 11-goal Kayden Jackson, facing spells on the sidelines.

Jackson is suspended for the next three games – away to Blackpool and at home to Fleetwood and Coventry – after he was sent off during last Saturday's 1-0 defeat at home to Oxford.

And Norwood is battling to overcome his second groin surgery of the season.

The 29-year-old isn't due to be back until April, meaning he faces a minimum of five games on the sidelines.

Ipswich manager Paul Lambert must come up with a solution but is reluctant to rely too much on former West Ham striker Freddie Sears, who missed more than ten months of action between February and December 2019 with a serious knee ligament injury.

Scunthorpe getting stronger

Scunthorpe have won two of their last three matches under caretaker-manager Russ Wilcox and might fancy their chances at playoff-chasing Port Vale tomorrow after receiving some welcome news on the injury front.

Centre-back Harrison McGahey and midfielder Levi Sutton suffered concussion after a training ground collision last week and both missed last Saturday's 1-0 success at home to Forest Green.

However, they could return and on-loan Doncaster goalkeeper Ian Lawlor is expected to have recovered from a minor groin strain.

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