Premier League & EFL injuries, suspensions and team news

1 Mixed news for Chelsea

Chelsea had a miserable night at Stamford Bridge on Monday, drawing 2-2 against Burnley and suffering injuries to winger Callum Hudson-Odoi (Achilles) and midfielder N'Golo Kante (ribs).

It quickly became apparent that Hudson-Odoi would be set for a long spell on the sidelines but the news concerning Kante's rib injury is more positive.

Kante was unable to stay on the pitch against the Clarets but Chelsea expect him to recover in time for Sunday's key match against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The French midfielder has not been as influential since Maurizio Sarri moved him to a more offensive position but he remains one of the first names on the Chelsea team sheet.

Sarri will be hoping for a positive update on left-back Marcos Alonso, who has missed three games with a thigh injury.

2 Tammy Abraham on course for the playoffs

Chelsea loanee Tammy Abraham has been a major player for Aston Villa this season, scoring 25 goals in 37 league games, and he could still have a big role to play despite sustaining a shoulder injury.

Abraham was hurt during Villa's 2-0 success at Bolton last Friday and was absent for the 1-0 victory at home to Millwall on Monday which guaranteed the Midlands side a place in the playoffs.

However, Villa boss Dean Smith still expects Abraham to spearhead his attack in the playoffs.

Smith said: “He's had a scan on his shoulder and it's nothing major. The Leeds game will come too early but we're hoping he will be back for Norwich.”

Central defenders Axel Tuanzebe (ankle) and James Chester (knee) also missed the Millwall game but Tuanzebe is in contention to face Leeds at Elland Road on Sunday.

3 Ezgjan Alioski absence could hurt Leeds

Leeds appear destined for the Sky Bet Championship playoffs after a dreadful Easter and they will not be able to call on their regular left-back, Ezgjan Alioski, who has been ruled out for the season with a knee injury.

Alioski was originally signed as a winger but has been playing as an attack-minded left-back in Marcelo Bielsa's favoured 4-1-4-1 system.

He has been a key contributor this season, playing in all 44 league games and delivering seven goals and six assists.

However, he is not the most assured defender and had a poor game when Leeds slumped to a damaging 2-1 defeat at home to Wigan last Friday.

Leeds will lose some of their offensive thrust without Alioski but they may gain a little more defensive solidity.

Italian defender Gaetano Berardi would be the cautious selection as his replacement while Stuart Dallas, another converted winger, is the more adventurous option.

4 Reading short of strikers for Middlesbrough trip

Only a set of freak results could condemn Reading to relegation from the Sky Bet Championship and that is just as well because they will be without first-choice strikers Yakou Meite and Nelson Oliveira for the rest of the season.

Oliviera limped off with a hamstring strain five minutes into Monday's 0-0 draw at home to West Brom and Meite (hamstring) followed him down the tunnel in the 12th minute.

Reading played well enough but lacked a cutting edge against a much-changed Baggies team distracted by thoughts of the playoffs.

The Royals will be up against more focused opponents this weekend because playoff-chasing Middlesbrough are in desperate need of a victory.

However, Boro lost 3-0 at Nottingham Forest on Monday and are still without injured defensive trio Daniel Ayala (knee), Dael Fry (hamstring) and George Friend (thigh).

5 Barnsley boosted by Kieffer Moore return

Barnsley striker Kieffer Moore was expected to miss the rest of the season after suffering a serious head injury during a 4-1 victory at Gillingham in February but he has returned to the fray with two substitute appearances and could be in line to start the Tykes' key home match against Blackpool.

Moore has bagged 16 goals in 29 league games this season and impressed enough to be named in the PFA's Sky Bet League One team of the season.

Without Moore's physical presence Barnsley have had to play a little differently and it hasn't always worked out.

Their 11 matches without Moore featured four goalless draws and those dropped points could be the difference between automatic promotion and a playoff place.

However, Barnsley are still in with a decent chance of finishing in the top two and Moore's return to fitness may have come just in time to help them get over the line.

6 Problems piling up for Yeovil

Yeovil are two points adrift of Sky Bet League Two safety with two games to go – starting with Saturday's trip to Northampton – and their chances of escape may be hampered by injuries to key players.

Influential central defender Gary Warren (groin) has been ruled out for the rest of the season and manager Neale Marmon will have to make another change this weekend after right-back Rhys Browne suffered a hamstring injury.

On-loan Chelsea midfielder Josh Grant (Achilles) is also struggling and experienced defenders Carl Dickinson and Craig Alcock have been frozen out of the squad.

Marmon is hopeful that attacker Ryan Seager can shake off a knee problem.

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