Rio Ferdinand will miss Manchester United's trip to Chelsea on Sunday but Darren Fletcher will be available despite admitting that he will require an operation to cure a long-lasting ankle problem.
While The Sun says that Ferdinand will be out of action for six weeks due to his bad back, the impression made by The Times is that it is even more serious than that.
'Ferdinand will miss United's Barclays Premier League top-of-the- table match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and could face weeks on the sidelines - and possibly surgery - after finally deciding to address an injury that has plagued him since last December and contributed to his poor form this season,' it reports
'The Times revealed in September how, despite claims to the contrary, Ferdinand's back complaint had not gone away and was becoming a serious cause for concern for United - and England before the World Cup finals in South Africa next summer - with specialists struggling to determine the exact nature of the problem,' it reports.
As for Fletcher, United fans should not be losing much sleep just yet. The Scot's admission that he is struggling with the injury concluded with the assurance: "It should be OK to the end of the season. That is the plan, to get me through to the summer and do something then."
Meanwhile, in case you missed it on Wednesday, Sir Alex has told MUTV: "Hopefully Vidic, Giggs and Berbatov will be ready for Sunday. Gary is suspended so John O'Shea will be ready to play."
Almost-no news is good news for Chelsea with the club not reporting any problems after their game in Madrid.
The only update has been provided by Jose Bosingwa with the right-back waiting on results of tests on his knee. The former Porto man insists there is no guarantee he will require an operation to put things right, but he accepts that he must follow whatever advice he is given. "It's all up to the doctors, but I'll accept the best solution," Bosingwa said in the Daily Express.
From the sounds of it, Aaron Lennon will still be absent when Tottenham face Sunderland this weekend.
"We just don't know how long it will be before Aaron is back," said Harry Redknapp. "We will have to wait and see how he gets on this week."
However the good news for Spurs is that Jonathan Woodgate is "back in contention" - which is just as well given that Sebastien Bassong pulled a hamstring in last week's North London derby - while Luca Modric has finally returned to light training. But he'll still be short of fitness for the Sunderland game.
In a piece of news nobody was expected, Arsene Wenger has reported to Arsenal's official website that none of his players were injured this midweek.
Seriously, read it for yourselves:
'The Arsenal manager lost no-one from Wednesday's win over AZ Alkmaar'
And although nobody on their current injury list will return for the trip to Wolves, the club have also reported that Armand Traore (now back up to Kieran Gibbs at left back with Gael Clichy out for two months) and Carlos Vela 'are close to comebacks' while Denilson will return to training in the second week of the international break with Theo Walcott joining in one week later.
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is poised to gain one striker but lose another this weekend.
Emmanuel Adebayor is set to return to the side for Saturday's Premier League clash at home to Burnley after missing the goalless draw at Birmingham four days ago with an ankle injury.
Club skipper Kolo Toure also seems set to face the Clarets after he joined Adebayor on the sidelines last weekend with a heel problem.
However, Roque Santa Cruz is likely to miss the match at Eastlands after sustaining an ankle injury at St Andrew's which forced him off midway through the second half.
Hughes said: "Roque hasn't trained since the weekend. He got a really bad bang on his ankle. He's got a lot of blood in and around the area that needs to come out. We need to shift that and we're hopeful he will be able to train tomorrow, but we'll have to wait and see.
"Ade and Kolo have trained for the last couple of days. They've had a couple of sessions and there was no reaction today from the work yesterday. The feeling is they will be okay for the weekend."
Left-back Wayne Bridge has joined Santa Cruz in the treatment room with a slight strain above the knee.
"Wayne hasn't trained either since the weekend," Hughes said. "We're hoping he will train tomorrow, but again we'll see how he is. We're hopeful he'll be okay."
Robinho, meanwhile, is now doing "field-based work" as he closes in on a return to action after more than two months out with a stress fracture of the ankle.
Wolves striker Chris Iwelumo is facing several weeks out of action after damaging the metatarsal he fractured during the pre-season summer trip to Australia.
The Scotland international started his first Barclays Premier League game against Stoke last weekend and impressed during the 2-2 draw.
But Iwelumo suffered the setback after Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen and Wolves central defender Christophe Berra landed on his foot.
While The Sun says that Ferdinand will be out of action for six weeks due to his bad back, the impression made by The Times is that it is even more serious than that.
'Ferdinand will miss United's Barclays Premier League top-of-the- table match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and could face weeks on the sidelines - and possibly surgery - after finally deciding to address an injury that has plagued him since last December and contributed to his poor form this season,' it reports
'The Times revealed in September how, despite claims to the contrary, Ferdinand's back complaint had not gone away and was becoming a serious cause for concern for United - and England before the World Cup finals in South Africa next summer - with specialists struggling to determine the exact nature of the problem,' it reports.
As for Fletcher, United fans should not be losing much sleep just yet. The Scot's admission that he is struggling with the injury concluded with the assurance: "It should be OK to the end of the season. That is the plan, to get me through to the summer and do something then."
Meanwhile, in case you missed it on Wednesday, Sir Alex has told MUTV: "Hopefully Vidic, Giggs and Berbatov will be ready for Sunday. Gary is suspended so John O'Shea will be ready to play."
Almost-no news is good news for Chelsea with the club not reporting any problems after their game in Madrid.
The only update has been provided by Jose Bosingwa with the right-back waiting on results of tests on his knee. The former Porto man insists there is no guarantee he will require an operation to put things right, but he accepts that he must follow whatever advice he is given. "It's all up to the doctors, but I'll accept the best solution," Bosingwa said in the Daily Express.
From the sounds of it, Aaron Lennon will still be absent when Tottenham face Sunderland this weekend.
"We just don't know how long it will be before Aaron is back," said Harry Redknapp. "We will have to wait and see how he gets on this week."
However the good news for Spurs is that Jonathan Woodgate is "back in contention" - which is just as well given that Sebastien Bassong pulled a hamstring in last week's North London derby - while Luca Modric has finally returned to light training. But he'll still be short of fitness for the Sunderland game.
In a piece of news nobody was expected, Arsene Wenger has reported to Arsenal's official website that none of his players were injured this midweek.
Seriously, read it for yourselves:
'The Arsenal manager lost no-one from Wednesday's win over AZ Alkmaar'
And although nobody on their current injury list will return for the trip to Wolves, the club have also reported that Armand Traore (now back up to Kieran Gibbs at left back with Gael Clichy out for two months) and Carlos Vela 'are close to comebacks' while Denilson will return to training in the second week of the international break with Theo Walcott joining in one week later.
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is poised to gain one striker but lose another this weekend.
Emmanuel Adebayor is set to return to the side for Saturday's Premier League clash at home to Burnley after missing the goalless draw at Birmingham four days ago with an ankle injury.
Club skipper Kolo Toure also seems set to face the Clarets after he joined Adebayor on the sidelines last weekend with a heel problem.
However, Roque Santa Cruz is likely to miss the match at Eastlands after sustaining an ankle injury at St Andrew's which forced him off midway through the second half.
Hughes said: "Roque hasn't trained since the weekend. He got a really bad bang on his ankle. He's got a lot of blood in and around the area that needs to come out. We need to shift that and we're hopeful he will be able to train tomorrow, but we'll have to wait and see.
"Ade and Kolo have trained for the last couple of days. They've had a couple of sessions and there was no reaction today from the work yesterday. The feeling is they will be okay for the weekend."
Left-back Wayne Bridge has joined Santa Cruz in the treatment room with a slight strain above the knee.
"Wayne hasn't trained either since the weekend," Hughes said. "We're hoping he will train tomorrow, but again we'll see how he is. We're hopeful he'll be okay."
Robinho, meanwhile, is now doing "field-based work" as he closes in on a return to action after more than two months out with a stress fracture of the ankle.
Wolves striker Chris Iwelumo is facing several weeks out of action after damaging the metatarsal he fractured during the pre-season summer trip to Australia.
The Scotland international started his first Barclays Premier League game against Stoke last weekend and impressed during the 2-2 draw.
But Iwelumo suffered the setback after Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen and Wolves central defender Christophe Berra landed on his foot.
Finally, Rafa Benitez has admitted that both Steven Gerrard & Fernando Torres may need surgery. Torres was pictured arriving at a Liverpool hospital on Thursday afternoon
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