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Cape Town – Mid-table Stoke City are unlikely to stand in the way of leaders Manchester City solidifying their advantage at the top of the English Premiership table, according to our pundits.
Perhaps taking a cue from last season’s outcome when City played the Potters away – Sergio Aguero netted twice in a 4-1 thumping – five of our six experts fancy the Blues to bag three points again.
There is even weightier support for neighbours United to see off West Ham at Old Trafford.
Wayne Rooney will miss Manchester United’s games against West Ham in the Premier League and Wolfsburg in the Champions League because of an ankle injury.
Manager Louis van Gaal confirmed the striker’s injury, which he suffered in the 1-1 draw at Leicester, was worse than at first thought.
The 30-year-old, who has played 499 games for the club, will miss Saturday’s home game against West Ham and the European fixture in Wolfsburg next Tuesday.
“It’s a nasty injury. He shall not play his 500th game (on Saturday) because he is more injured than I thought so we have to wait for that game,” Van Gaal said.
“His ankle is not good enough and we have to recover that ankle with a lot of strength. He has to do a lot of exercises to make his ankle stronger. He needs more time.”
Van Gaal later confirmed Rooney would also miss Tuesday’s game in Wolfsburg, which United need to win to guarantee their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho confirmed goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is back in the squad after three months out injured for Saturday’s home match against Bournemouth, as the Chelsea manager hopes the under-pressure champions are finally turning the corner.
The Belgian goalkeeper has not played since the 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace on August 29 because of a knee injury, but Mourinho hinted he may start on Saturday, as he described the 23-year-old as the best goalkeeper in the world.
Mourinho also confirmed John Terry, Ramires and Radamel Falcao are all still out, but that Nemanja Matic is available despite having to wear a face mask because of a double fracture to his nose and cheek suffered in Sunday’s 0-0 draw at Tottenham Hotspur.
Diego Costa furiously threw a bib to the ground during that game once it became apparent that he would not be coming on as a sub, but the Chelsea manager played down the ongoing controversy, insisting there are no doubts over the striker’s future.
Londile Moyo
Online Reporter