Manu Lanzini and Michail Antonio face rigorous training ground fitness tests this afternoon (Fri) before they are finally included in tomorrow’s match day squad for the match against Swansea City.
Both players have been training with the first team but Slaven Bilic will insist that they are pushed to the limits ahead of the game.
He is prepared to take no chances whatsoever with the pair and will wait for a final verdict from the club’s medical team.
He has been pleased with Lanzini’s progress since to he rejoined the squad but will make 100 per cent certain there is no risk in playing either him or Antonio who was withdrawn from the action against Spurs in the 28th minute last Saturday.
Bilic’s decision to test the pair to the limits today will com as a relief to many who are worried that the decision to push them into immediate action represents too big a risk to their long term welfare.
If Antonio starts I will cross my fingers. If Lanzini starts I will cross my fingers, and everything else. Hopefully they both come through in one piece ( or two pieces; one each ).
To accommodate them both, Bilic must change from the wing-back system. That would mean his favorite system; 4 – 2 – 3 – 1 In that case I would rather see a team of :
Hart
Zabaleta Rice Reid Cresswell
Kouyate Noble
Antonio Lanzini Arnautovic
Hernandes
Carroll on the bench after his mistakes against spurs, and Obiang is not likely to be fit anyway.
I suspect Holland will be on the bench, and the sooner he overtakes Ayew the better.
Agree I would be worried simialt thing happened with Antonio coming back to earlier w Swansea last season then went from antohrr week to 8 weeks.
So we can beat Swansea without them unless they are both 100% really 100% not just passée the test barely rather see them on the becnh and give them Intl break then risking losing them for longer