#pieter deals with being blinded

[izzyaro]

Summary: Pieter deals with the loss of Gog’s ‘gift’, but he doesn’t have to do so alone.

[dccomicrants]

Dr. Mid-Nite

Content Warnings: Drugging

Summary: Brief character summaries of Dr. Charles McNider and Dr. Pieter Cross

Comic Issues Involved: Dr. Mid-Nite by Matt Wagner and John K. Snyder III, Hawkman 2002-2006 issue 23-25 by Geoff Johns and Rags Morales, JSA 1999-2006, JSA: Classified 2005-2008, Justice Society of America 2007-2011

There have been 3 characters to use the name Dr. Mid-Nite. The first was Dr. Charles McNider, Dr. Beth Chapel was the second, and the third and current Dr. Mid-Nite is Pieter Cross. Now, since Beth Chapel was with Infinity Inc and not an iteration of the JSA, she’ll probably eventually get her own post. Part of the reason I am also delaying her post is because she’s a main character of Stargirl and I don’t want to walk into spoiler territory.

We will start with Charles McNider and then we will move to Pieter Cross. I love them both and they can both be in the same post for reasons you will discover.

Charles and his nurse/assistant Myra Mason had been working on a new anti-viral serum when the police knocked on his office door. McNider was told that a known gangster named Killer Maroni had attempted to assassinate a key witness and that the witness needed emergency treatment. McNider rushed over to treat the witness, and while he was operating, a thug named Mike threw a hand grenade through the window, killing everyone except McNider. Glass exploded into his eyes, permanently robbing of his sight.

McNider put himself into an intense therapy program and found that he developed more energy at night. This led to him spending several evenings practicing gymnastics and working out. During all of this, Myra ended up falling in love with him.

Since he was no longer able to practice medicine, he turned to writing determined to expose the criminal underworld. Including targeting Killer Maroni.

One night, an owl crashed into his study, causing McNider to take off the bandages on his eyes. He discovered that he could see perfectly in the dark. He turned on the lights and found himself blinded again. When he turned off the light switch, he was able to treat the owl whom he named Hootie.

With his new night vision, he made a costume and started to deal with crime more directly as Dr. Mid-Nite.

Now, Charles is interesting for a variety of reasons, but the one I want to focus on is the fact that there was a very popular theory that he was gay. Charles and Myra, despite having many storylines together and despite Myra being madly in love with him never date. They never pursue a romantic relationship. The line that is often quoted is as follows “She had love for me. It was a love doomed from the start… but I could never quite bring myself to tell her.” In an interview with one of the writers, it was cleared up that it was his dual life not him being gay. This makes sense and would fall in line with some of who Charles is but it doesn’t quite ring true (sure the official writer came out and said it but I Strongly Disagree With The Writer). Refer to the fact that Charles became a hero in 1941, held a respectable position as a surgeon, was a Captain in the Army during World War 2, and was in a mostly all-boys club also known as the All-Star Squadron and later the Justice Society of America. Yes, you can make the argument that the comics are sexist and blah blah blah- The only female members ever of the JSA for a while were Hippolyta, Dinah Drake, and Kara Zor-El. Not all at the same time.

Charles is very dedicated to his work, he knows the JSA well, and he knows Theodore Knight (He will get his own post in time), the first Starman, well enough that when Ted had a mental breakdown as he dealt with the implications of his involvement in the Manhattan project that he took up the mantle of Starman.

So, Charles McNider- A man who is too focused on his dual life to date Myra, a woman he has known for years, hangs up his costume to take on a friend’s costume until he recovers? As favors go, that’s a pretty big one. And it’s not one to take up lightly in light of Charles’s blindness without infrared goggles. Now I’ve mentioned that Charles said he never considered telling Myra his secret identity, yet he cares enough about Ted’s mental health that he took on the name Starman. I rest my case.

Charles is also on the record of saying that he doesn’t like the effects of Rex Tyler’s Miraclo and that he thinks it’s dangerous. He cares about the health of his teammates and friends.

I said earlier that Charles had some connection to Pieter Cross, and he does! The first time Charles met Pieter, he actually delivered him! Charles McNider, one of the few mentors who can say that he literally brought his protégé into the world. Charles would later go on to train both Beth Chapel and Pieter Cross.

Pieter Cross is an absolutely brilliant man, he graduated from Harvard at 19 and immigrated to America from Norway.

At some point, he moved to Portsmouth City, Oregon, and began to investigate A39, a drug derived from Venom (not the alien goo, the stuff Bane takes). Pieter found out that it was being produced by Paraeda Industries. To try to silence him, they had him knocked out and injected with A39 before putting him behind the wheel of a car. He woke up just as the car struck and killed a woman. The drug left him blind to normal light but able to see in the dark just fine.

He eventually ended up joining the JSA, specifically around the time that Todd Rice aka Obsidian aka Alan Scott’s son seemed to become a supervillain (Todd will also be getting his own post at some point). He had a short-lived relationship with Dinah Lance. You know what relationship isn’t short-lived? His friendship with the current Mr. Terrific, Michael Holt. The two play scrabble frequently together and have a very solid friendship.

Pieter Cross is devoutly Christian and Michael is a staunch atheist (this is only ironic because of how Michael ended up becoming Mr. Terrific. Different Post for a different time). They have had many genuine conversations about faith, and what I’m about to say is vitally important- Pieter has never once forced his beliefs onto Michael.

More facts about Pieter? Pieter runs a website as Dr. Mid-Nite where he provides free medical advice to registered users. He supports Sex Workers and treats them with dignity and respect, he runs a free clinic in Portsmouth to treat people, he runs a needle exchange program. What’s Not To Love About Pieter? Oh- he also developed a sober pill that allows him to drink small amounts of alcohol and not become inebriated. His owl is named Charlie after Charles McNider. When the JSA and JLA had thanksgiving together, he volunteered for monitor duty because he didn’t want to see Dinah (and Alan ratted him out). He’s also a vegetarian and he practices yoga.

[corner-stories]

quite lovely

Pieter Cross. Beth Chapel.

Cold Pressed Juice. Yogurt Cups. Dynamite Rolls.

2235 words.

(ao3.)

just a note. moving forward all my ao3 fics will only be accessible to those with an account. the only place to access them outside of ao3 is this blog.

In true medical professional fashion, Doctor Pieter Anton Cross was focusing ninety percent of his energy into his work. It seemed that the world he lived in was plunged into a crisis every other week, which meant the less time he spent dealing with personal matters meant more time in the operating room. Or in the monitor room. Or in the lab testing samples.

It seemed that even being restored into the universe by some kind of eldritch overlord wasn’t enough to justify taking time off. In fact, in Pieter’s mind it felt like even more of a justification to focus on what he knew best. 

Although to be frank, he didn’t have the clearest idea on how exactly he came back into the universe. All he did know was that somehow most of the Justice Society had been erased and reborn, even the ones he had never met before, and somehow — perhaps due to the mechanisms of an eldritch overlord he couldn’t even comprehend — Pieter had been reborn with them. 

The strangest part is that he retained memories of his previous life. 

In his head he was still the same Pieter Cross who graduated Harvard at nineteen and constantly lent his expertise to the world. He was still the same Pieter Cross who had lost his sight and his medical license, yet he managed to remain an invaluable member of the Justice Society and the superhero community at large.

But somehow the world around him felt different. He didn’t know how to explain why.

Throwing himself into his work was Pieter’s go-to coping mechanism. Perhaps surrounding himself with familiar things — whether it be the blue lights of the operating room, Michael’s voice and aptly intellect, or the sensation of his goggles on his face, or Charlie perching on his shoulder — brought a sense of comfort to him. 

Not to say that unfamiliar things were bad, however.

The new world had graced Pieter with the opportunity to meet people he had never met before. There was Yolanda Montez, the goddaughter of Ted Grant and second holder of the Wildcat title, as well as Max Mercury, an ally of Jay Garrick who knew more about the Speed Force than anyone in this dimension.

And then there was the other Doctor Mid-Nite. 

Beth Chapel reminded Pieter of the late Charles McNider, as well as of himself. Like every Mid-Nite before she was a medical genius, proving herself to be a talented surgeon who could administer the neatest stitches he had ever seen. She was practical, sturdy, and had a good head on her shoulders, often throwing herself into her work the same way Pieter did. 

Unsurprisingly, she was also blind, being inflicted with the same condition that had impaired both him and Dr. McNider. If one had a nickel every time a blind doctor decided to become a superhero, one would only have three nickels, but it was still strange that it happened thrice. 

Overhearing workplace chatter had helped Pieter learn a bit more about Beth. In the old universe she had worked alongside McNider, as well as Infinity Inc. in Los Angeles. She had perished in a battle with the demon called Eclipso, but fortunately the whole ‘getting resurrected and restored into reality’ thing had made that prior event a moot point.

Frankly, it wasn’t the strangest thing Pieter had heard over coffee breaks. 

Apparently, she and the second Hourman had been an item back in the day, which made it much more surprising to see her unfazed reaction to learning that Rick had married Jesse Quick in the years that passed.

Although with Beth being as practical as she was, it seemed that in her mind the whole ‘being dead’ thing was a valid reason for a former partner to see other people. 

Through the grapevine Pieter heard that Beth admitted that she would’ve moved on quite quickly as well if Rick had been the one to perish instead. Pieter then realized that he would very much pay money to see the Man of the Hour’s reaction to that one particular comment. 

Beth Chapel was certainly quite a character indeed. 

…

…

…

Until the Justice Society rebuilt their HQ, they would be operating out of a HoltCorp building in lower Manhattan. Michael was more than happy to have them around, especially for medical purposes. Afterall, he didn’t invest in a state-of-the-art research lab for nothing. 

The Mid-Nites had made a little home for themselves between the walls of the building. The equipment that Michael had purchased for his company — whether it be the impeccably clean scalpels or the impeccably well-stocked employee kitchen — had been put to good use.

Admittedly, Pieter had yet to work directly alongside Beth. Even though they worked in the same building — usually in the med bay, O.R, or the research lab — they rarely ever worked together in the same room. It seemed that every time Dr. Cross was needed in one place, Dr. Chapel was needed in another. 

It was a peculiar situation for both the Mid-Nites. Yet considering the intensive nature of their work, it was a situation that Pieter understood. Perhaps it was even a good thing, as it meant the world they lived in had yet to be rattled by an event that necessitated the use of two Mid-Nites. 

On a mid-week afternoon the Good Doctor made his way through the HoltCorp’s Manhattan building. As he walked through the familiar halls he pulled his cowl over his head, adjusting his goggles over his eyes. 

Lately, a brief lunchtime meditation had become vital to Pieter’s daily routine. With endless hours of looking at screens and examining patients, he found that a few minutes to relax his mind did wonders for helping him get through the day. He found it much more helpful than if he meditated in the morning or evening. 

Though he wondered if the other employees in the building began questioning what Dr. Cross was doing whenever he walked into a janitor’s closet and locked the door for ten minutes. At this point he was sure that they were taking bets, but at least the cleaning staff were cool about it. 

When Pieter entered the kitchen near the medical research wing, he was unsurprised to find company. As to be expected, Dr. Beth Chapel stood at the counter. She boiled water as she bore a suit reminiscent of McNider’s. Unlike Pieter her cowl was pulled down, revealing a pretty face and a cloud of pretty hair, as well as the signature tinted goggles of every Mid-Nite. Beth had a habit of looking quite youthful, so much so that some patients were surprised to hear that she had a full MD.  

“Good afternoon, Dr. Chapel,” greeted Pieter in his usual stuffy, professional tone. 

“Afternoon,” said Beth, giving him a polite nod. Currently she was pouring steaming water from a kettle into a pot. “Green tea, Dr. Cross?” she asked as she placed a lid on top of the pot. 

Pieter gave a nod of his head. “Sure, thanks.”

He then made his way to the fridge, opening the door to peruse the food and beverages inside. Michael seemed very fond of keeping the place stocked with bottles of cold pressed juice and wellness shots, perhaps not for any particular health fad but simply because he liked them. None of the HoltCorp employees seemed to complain. 

Pieter usually leaned towards anything with coconut or spinach, however it seemed that today his usual pickings were gone. The only bottle that remained contained a bright red liquid that almost glowed in the light of the fridge. 

As Pieter grabbed the bottle and inspected the label, he heard the sound of Dr. Chapel’s voice again.

“Did you get a chance to see the notes I sent to your inbox?” asked Beth. “The one about Kryptonian bloodwork.”

Pieter shook his head as he closed the fridge. “Not yet, but I’ll get to it.” 

Beth nodded and looked back to the tea pot. 

Pieter uncapped his bottle of neon red juice and took a quick swig… then proceeded to gag the second the liquid hit his tongue. 

With the force of a thousand suns, a burning sensation surged through every nerve on his face, causing Pieter to cough and gasp. He grabbed the counter to steady himself as what felt like putrid acid ached his poor throat. 

Like any consummate medical professional, Beth did not hesitate to stop what she was and dash over, quickly assessing the situation.

“Doctor! Are you okay!?” she called out, placing a hand on Pieter’s back as the poor man coughed and coughed.

“I’m fine!” said Pieter in a gravelly, hoarse voice that implied he was anything but. 

As Pieter walked off to grab some milk from the fridge, Beth took the bottle of juice off the counter and discovered that someone out in the world decided to put the label on the bottom. 

“Lemon, celery, turmeric, and cayenne…” she read aloud, her brow furrowing in thought. 

“Oh, there’s cayenne alright,” Pieter quipped in a tone reminiscent of a chainsmoker. He was quick to pour himself a glass of skim, even quicker to chug it down, then even more quick to pour enough glass. After his second helping the burning sensation in his mouth had died out, causing Pieter to sigh in relief.

“Whoever mixed that must’ve been a five year old,” he stuttered out, coughing. “Or out to get me.” 

When he looked over to Beth, he was only mildly off guard to see her looking amused. The smile on her face was slight, but it was there. Even as she grabbed some napkins to wipe the spilled juice off the counter, her look persisted. 

“Can’t handle the heat, Pete?” she asked in a politely playful tone. 

Pieter raised an eyebrow at her. “Pete?” 

“Does no one call you Pete?” 

“Not often…” he answered, shaking his head. “But you can.” 

Beth looked him up and down, then hummed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Soon enough the mess was cleaned and the bottle of fire juice was tossed into the trash, waste be damned. After rummaging through the fridge again, Pieter grabbed several cups of plain greek yogurt and a spoon, a last-minute lunch he relied on more often than not. 

Through extensive medical testing Pieter discovered that a mostly normal human being could survive a whole day off nothing but plain yogurt cups, granted that methodology would only work on mostly normal humans who were comfortable consuming enough dairy to sedate an old fashioned bodybuilder. 

On the other side of the kitchen Beth was pouring steaming green tea into two mugs. After putting the pot down she then placed a dollop of honey into her drink. 

“I could use a real lunch,” she spoke up, grabbing her smartphone from her pocket. “Postmates? I’m buying.” 

Pieter thought for a moment, then the mild growling of his underfed stomach motivated him to nod. “That’d be very nice, thanks.” 

“There’s a good sushi place a few blocks away,” Beth suggested, typing away on her phone screen. “They have some good vegetarian options.” 

Pieter eyed her as he grabbed his tea mug. “What makes you think I’m a vegetarian?”

Unfazed, Beth took a casual sip of her beverage. “I read it when I googled you,” she explained with ease. 

Both amused and curious, Pieter raised an eyebrow. “I’m googleable?”

Beth shrugged. Even with the signature Mid-Nite goggles over her eyes, she was able to look at Pieter with a kind of playful confidence. “Who isn’t anymore?” she said, grinning.  

There was a beat, then Pieter let out a hum.

“Fair enough,” he agreed, nodding his head. “Although, I have been practicing pescetarianism lately.”

Beth was practically beaming. “Perfect. I’ll order you the dynamite roll combo then, it’ll change your life.” She typed a bit more on her phone, then a little jingle played as a green check mark appeared on the screen. 

“It should be here in about thirty minutes,” she assured, holding her phone up so her colleague could see it.

“Copy that,” said Pieter as he slipped his precious greek yogurt cups into his pockets. “Thank you very much, Doctor Chapel.” With the haste of most medical professionals, he tightened his mug in his hand and walked towards the kitchen doorway. 

When Beth eyed him again, she did so with a sense of subdued amusement and mild exasperation. 

“You know you can call me Beth, right?” 

Pieter stopped where he was and looked back at her, then suddenly recalled every moment in the last few weeks where he could have called her by her name, but didn’t. It was second nature to him to refer to people to their titles, whether it be Dr. Chapel or Doctor Mid-Nite.

His best friend was Mister Terrific when the masks were on, but always Michael during their downtime… which perhaps the current moment constituted as.

With another nod of his head, Pieter gave his colleague a warm smile. 

“I’ll try to remember that… Beth.” 

Even when he turned around, the way she grinned back at him echoed in his mind. 

As Pieter made his way back to his office, he thought of many things — such as the bloodwork he was meant to go over, the apparently life-changing dynamite rolls that were currently heading his way, and the fact that Beth Chapel was quite lovely. 

[talmud-torah]

Psalms 47:1

Oh, clap your hands, all you people! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! Psalms 47:1 Note and Biblical Scripter References on Psalms 47:1 - In the activities of the true God there is great cause for joy for all the peoples of earth. One reason for this joy is in the next verse. For the LORD Most High is awe-inspiring. He is a great King over all the earth. Psalms 47:2 Note and Biblical Scripter References on Psalms 47:2 47:2 The God of Israel (Yahweh Rapha) is not a mere tribal god or national god. He is the only God there is, the Creator of the universe (Isa 45:21-22). Above all nations and governments He sits enthroned. That is, He who is perfect in holiness, justice, grace, and love reigns over mankind. Is this not cause for joy (vs 6-9)? “Great king”– see Ps 5:2; 24:8; 95:3; Isa 6:5; 33:22; 43:15; Jer 10:6-7, 10; Dan 4:34-37; Mal 1:14; 1 Tim 1:17; 6:15; Rev 15:3; 17:14; 19:16. Some people question the manner of Godʼs rule over the earth and ask: “If God is the great king why are conditions on earth so terrible? Why does evil prevail? Why do the innocent suffer? Why are the poor and weak crushed under the feet of the rich and strong? Why do disasters strike – drought and starvation, cyclones, earthquakes and floods? Why do devastating wars, persecutions of whole people, or genocides take place?” Asking such questions some people dare to deny that God exists. They insist that if there were a God things could not be as they are. This is poor reasoning and poor philosophy. In facing such questions none of us should leave out of our reasoning some very important Bible facts. According to the Bible the world is in its present condition not because God fails in His rule, but because mankind in general does not accept His rule. People are sinners and rebel against the great King of the universe. It is they who ruin the world, not God. Compare Gen 6:5-7, 11, 12; 8:21; Ps 14:2-3; Isa 24:5; Rom 1:18-32; Rev 11:18. Mankind deserves nothing good from God, but actually receives much good – which the majority of people take and misuse without gratitude to the heavenly Giver. The only times many people mention God is to take His name in vain or to curse or in complaint against Him. The general practice of mankind is to blame God for anything they consider bad, but never to thank Him for any good He does. God, as the righteous Ruler of the world must send punishment on the wicked. He must use methods to restrain the restless, greedy, rebellious nature in man. And He is perfectly justified in using at times very severe methods (see Rev 16:5-7; 2 Thess 1:6; Gen 6:5-8). Actually Godʼs judgments are always at work in the world and those judgments are perfectly just. He is always just in His dealing with individuals and with mankind as a whole - Ps 33:5; 89:14. See also the note at Gen 15:16. Accepting this is, of course, a matter of faith. We can rejoice in Godʼs reign over the earth (as we are told to do in v 1) if we believe His revelation in the Bible. Then we can understand that God cannot do, and does not do, any wrong or unjust thing to anyone, ever. We can understand that He knows what He is doing even if we do not, that He has ways and plans we do not know and which are far above us (Isa 55:8-9; Rom 11:33-36). God is “awe inspiring” in His nature and activities. He is worthy of the utmost of reverent fear and trust. He will subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet. Psalms 47:3 He will choose our inheritance for us, the excellence of Jacob whom he loved. Selah Psalms 47:4 Note and Biblical Scripter References on Psalms 47:3-4 - A further cause for joy is the activities of God with His chosen people Israel. However much these verses might have been fulfilled in the past there surely will be a more complete fulfillment in the future (Isa 9:6-7; 11:1-10; Matt 19:28; Acts 1:6; Rev 20:4-6). All the earth will be brought under the sway of the Lord Jesus and with Him those who have trusted Him. He will choose our inheritance for us, the excellence of Jacob whom he loved. Selah Psalms 47:4 Note and Biblical Scripter References on Psalms 47:4 - “Inheritance”– if we entrust the choice of our inheritance to God we need not worry about the size or quality of it (Acts 20:32; 26:18; Eph 1:11, 14; Col 1:12; Heb 9:15; 1 Pet 1:4). God has gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. Psalms 47:5 Note and Biblical Scripter References on Psalms 47:5 - " Yahweh" God is here described as ascending to His throne after winning a great victory. We are reminded of the day when Yahweh Rapha, incarnated in the Lord Jesus, after winning the fight against all the forces of Satan, ascended into glory (Luke 24:50-52; Acts 1:9-11; Eph 4:7-10). Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! Psalms 47:6 For God is the King of all the earth. Sing praises with understanding. Psalms 47:7 Note and Biblical Scripter References on Psalms 47:6-7 Note see ref on praise at Psalms 33:1 - 1 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous; for prais is fitting for the upright. Note and Biblical Scripter References on Psalms 33:1 “Praise”– See Ps 7:17; 8:2; 9:1; 16:7; 18:3; 42:5; 100:4; 150:6; Gen 24:27; Ex 15:2; Lev 19:24; Deut 8:10; 32:3; 1 Chron 16:4, 9, 25; Isa 12:1; Matt 5:16; 11:25; Luke 1:68; Rom 15:7, 11; 2 Cor 1:3; Eph 1:3, 6, 12, 14; Rev 5:12-13; 19:5. God does not command us to praise Him because He is hungry for praise. He is not like men who long to have everyone speak well of them. When God commands us to praise Him He is actually telling us to find our joy and delight in Him and express it. Praise is admiration expressed in words. Men praise what they think is good or beautiful or strong or meaningful. They express their delight in what they consider a worthy object. The highest good and beauty and strength and meaningfulness are found in God. Therefore among all things and persons and beings in the universe He is the most worthy of praise. He wants us to recognize this, not for His sake, but for ours. He wants us to be the kind of people who know and praise that which is most worthy of praise. To praise God means to see His worthiness, His excellence. It means we find our delight in the best and highest. It is fitting and right that we should do this (v 1). Men praise all kinds of objects and persons not worthy of their praise. Is it not fitting for those who know God to praise Him Who is worthy of it? The wicked, the discontented, the selfish, the unbelieving, the morally and spiritually blind cannot, will not, praise God in spirit and in truth. The humble, the righteous, the enlightened person can and will. Wicked people glory in their shame, and praise earthly things and delight in them (Phil 3:19). Righteous people glory in God and in Christ their Saviour (1 Cor 1:31; 2 Cor 10:17; Gal 6:14; 1 Tim 1:17). Lack of thanksgiving and praise to God is blameworthy. It shows a defect in character and outlook, and God wants His people to be free of it. Giving thanks, singing, and praising God are fitting for them and should come naturally to them. These things are ways in which they can show their renewed nature. Those who know God best and who are the humblest and most enlightened will praise Him most. God reigns over the nations. God sits on the throne of his holiness. Psalms 47:8 The leaders of the people have gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God. He is greatly exalted. Psalms 47:9 Note and Biblical Scripter References on Psalms 47:9 - “God of Abraham”– the writer clearly identifies the God of whom he is speaking. He is the righteous, reigning God of the Bible, the God who made a covenant with Abraham and called him to be His servant in the world. “Shields”– he may mean the leaders of nations who act as shields against aggression from other nations. See Ps 89:18. All such are under Godʼs sovereign control, and He uses them to fulfill His gracious plan towards mankind. All the authority exercised by kings actually belongs to God (See Rom 13:1-5). HalleluYah!...HalleluYah!!... High Abiding Fulfilling Praises To Our Almighty, Sovereign, Reigning, Lord of Lords, King of Kings, who is restoring the fulfilling of His Kingdom the New Jerusalem... Hallelujah!!...HalleluYah!! : -)) Shalom, Alecheim... Receive this Wonderful, Joyful, Enriched, Blessed Fulfilled Evening and Night Ahead in Spirit and Truth... : -)) With love in the Lord Jesus Christ, our Wonderful, dear, caring Saviour and Redeemer... PieTeR

[giantsfootball0]

Premier League weekend team news Injuries and suspensions update

Steve Nicol and Alexis Nunes go head-to-head in predictor as the Premier League enters week 6. SATURDAY’S GAMES West Ham vs. Tottenham

West Ham midfielders Manuel Lanzini and Pedro Obiang will miss the visit of Tottenham. Lanzini resumed training on Thursday after a knee injury but will not be risked and Obiang picked up a knock against West Brom last weekend. Defender James Collins is the only other absentee with an ankle problem.

Provisional Squad: Hart, Adrian, Zabaleta, Byram, Masuaku, Cresswell, Reid, Ogbonna, Fonte, Rice, Kouyate, Noble, Fernandes, Arnautovic, Antonio, Ayew, Carroll, Sakho, Hernandez.

Tottenham defender Ben Davies has shaken off an ankle injury. Davies is expected to return along with Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen, Hugo Lloris and Toby Alderweireld, who were all rested for the Carabao Cup win over Barnsley on Tuesday. Danny Rose and Victor Wanyama, however, are both out with knee injuries while Erik Lamela is still recovering from a hip problem.

Provisional squad: Lloris, Vorm, Gazzaniga, Davies, Walker-Peters, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Foyth, Trippier, Aurier, Dier, Dembele, Eriksen, Sissoko, Oakley-Boothe, Son, Llorente, Kane.

Burnley vs. Huddersfield

Jon Walters and Nahki Wells have been ruled out. Walters is recovering from a knee injury and Wells, who has yet to make his Clarets debut, will not face the club he left on deadline day as he manages his comeback from ankle trouble. Nick Pope is set to retain the gloves in the absence of Tom Heaton (shoulder), and Adam Legzdins is likely to continue on the bench ahead of new arrival Anders Lindegaard.

Provisional squad: Pope, Legzdins, Lowton, Long, Mee, Taylor, Ward, Tarkowski, Bardsley, Defour, Brady, Ulvestad, Hendrick, Cork, Westwood, Arfield, Gudmundsson, Vokes, Agyei, Barnes, Wood.

Danny Williams has been ruled out with a fractured foot and joins a list of players unavailable for Huddersfield. Midfielder Williams is scheduled to see a specialist after sustaining the injury in last week’s home draw against Leicester, while Steve Mounie (foot) and fellow striker Collin Quaner (knee) are still out. Another striker, Laurent Depoitre, and winger Rajiv van La Parra are hoping to shake off muscle strains. On-loan Chelsea midfielder Kasey Palmer (hamstring) and defender Jon Gorenc Stankovic (knee) remain long-term absentees.

Provisional squad: Lossl, Lowe, Schindler, Jorgensen, Smith, Mooy, Ince, Sabiri, Hogg, Kachunga, Coleman, Malone, Billing, Hefele, Cranie, Hadergjonaj, Whitehead, Lolley, Depoitre.

Everton vs. Bournemouth

Everton boss Ronald Koeman is expected to restore several players to his first XI after making eight changes in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday. As well as the likes of Jordan Pickford and Gylfi Sigurdsson being poised to come back in, Wayne Rooney is set to make his first appearance since pleading guilty to drink-driving. Dominic Calvert-Lewin will hope to keep his place in the team after netting a brace in the 3-0 cup win against Sunderland. James McCarthy (knee) remains unavailable, along with Ross Barkley (hamstring), Ramiro Funes Mori, Yannick Bolasie (both knee) and Seamus Coleman (broken leg).

Provisional squad: Pickford, Stekelenburg, Keane, Williams, Jagielka, Martina, Kenny, Baines, Holgate, Schneiderlin, Gueye, Besic, Klaassen, Sigurdsson, Rooney, Davies, Vlasic, Lookman, Mirallas, Lennon, Sandro, Calvert-Lewin, Niasse.

Tyrone Mings will miss out due to a back problem. The Cherries defender has been to see a specialist and will be unavailable for a minimum of a month. Junior Stanislas is available again after returning from a groin injury in the midweek Carabao Cup success against Brighton, but forward Callum Wilson (knee) remains out.

Provisional squad: Begovic, Ake, S Cook, A Smith, Daniels, Gosling, Surman, Arter, King, Defoe, Mousset, Boruc, L Cook, B Smith, Ibe, Stanislas, Fraser, Afobe, Francis, Pugh.

Manchester City vs. Crystal Palace

Vincent Kompany could be back in contention after missing the last four games with a calf injury, but is back in training. Midfielder Ilkay Gundogan will not feature after suffering a knee sprain in midweek but the problem is not serious and he should soon return to training.

Provisional squad: Ederson, Bravo, Walker, Danilo, Kompany, Stones, Otamendi, Mangala, Mendy, Toure, Delph, Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Sterling, Sane, D Silva, B Silva, Aguero, Jesus.

Mamadou Sakho will make his first Premier League start since his permanent Crystal Palace move. Boss Roy Hodgson has confirmed the former Liverpool defender will start at the Etihad Stadium, as the Eagles bid to rebuff rampant table-toppers City. Wilfried Zaha remains sidelined with the knee injury he sustained on the opening day of the season.

Provisional squad: Hennessey, Speroni, Riedewald, Dann, Delaney, Fosu-Mensah, Tomkins, Kelly, Ward, Sakho, Lee, McArthur, Cabaye, Loftus-Cheek, Milivojevic, Mutch, Puncheon, Sako, Schlupp, Souare, Kaikai, Townsend, Van Aanholt, Benteke.

Southampton vs. Manchester United

Defender Virgil van Dijk could make his first start in eight months when Southampton. The Netherlands international, who had been unavailable after suffering a serious foot injury in January and then handing in a transfer request during the summer, made his first-team return as a substitute against Crystal Palace last weekend. Defender Matt Targett is a doubt with an ankle problem but Denmark midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who missed the game against Palace due to the birth of his daughter, is back in contention.

Provisional squad: Forster, McCarthy, Stephens, Bertrand, Targett, McQueen, Soares, Pied, Yoshida, Hoedt, Van Dijk, Bednarek, Davis, Hojbjerg, Tadic, Romeu, Redmond, Ward-Prowse, Lemina, Long, Boufal, Austin, Gabbiadini.

Jose Mourinho does not have any fresh injury concerns to deal with. Marcos Rojo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic (both knee), Paul Pogba (hamstring) and Axel Tuanzebe (back) remain absent for the trip to St Mary’s. Luke Shaw is hoping to be involved against his former club having returned from injury as a substitute in the Carabao Cup win against Burton. David De Gea, Antonio Valencia, Eric Bailly and Nemanja Matic are set to be involved after being rested for Wednesday’s match.

Provisional squad: De Gea, Romero, Pereira, Valencia, Darmian, Lindelof, Bailly, Jones, Smalling, Blind, Shaw, Young, Fellaini, Matic, Herrera, Carrick, McTominay, Mata, Lingard, Mkhitaryan, Lukaku, Rashford, Martial.

Stoke vs. Chelsea

Stoke boss Mark Hughes will be without three of his main centre-half options and possibly four. While on-loan Kurt Zouma is ineligible to face his parent club, Ryan Shawcross (back) and Geoff Cameron (hamstring) remain sidelined, and Kevin Wimmer is a doubt due to a hamstring problem of his own. Hughes, who is set to restore several regular starters after making six changes for the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, may opt to deploy Glen Johnson or fellow full-back Erik Pieters, or both, alongside Bruno Martins Indi in central defence.

Provisional squad: Butland, Grant, Martins Indi, Wimmer, Johnson, Pieters, Souttar, Diouf, Tymon, Allen, Fletcher, Adam, Jese, Shaqiri, Choupo-Moting, Sobhi, Berahino, Crouch.

Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard is expected to make his first Premier League start of the season. Hazard has fully recovered from his broken ankle after three substitute appearances and one start, in the Carabao Cup win over Nottingham Forest. Forward Pedro has recovered from the leg injury that saw him miss the Forest win, but defender David Luiz is suspended and midfielder Danny Drinkwater (calf) is out.

Provisional squad: Courtois, Caballero, Rudiger, Alonso, Fabregas, Kante, Morata, Hazard, Pedro, Bakayoko, Moses, Kenedy, Musonda, Zappacosta, Willian, Batshuayi, Cahill, Christensen, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Clarke-Salter, Scott, Eduardo.

Swansea vs. Watford

Swansea boss Paul Clement has no fresh injury concerns as he attempts to build upon a solid start to the Premier League campaign. Clement shuffled his pack for Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup third round win at Reading in which Wilfried Bony was handed his first start since rejoining the club, and the striker could retain his place. Ki Sung-yueng has returned to training for the first time since undergoing knee surgery during the summer, while fellow midfielder Nathan Dyer was due to play for the club’s under-23s on Friday after sitting out since February with an Achilles problem and they will not be involved.

Provisional squad: Fabianski, Nordfeldt, Naughton, Fernandez, Mawson, Olsson, Clucas, Fer, Carroll, Sanches, Ayew, Abraham, Rangel, Van der Hoorn, Britton, Mesa, Fulton, Narsingh, Routledge, Bony, McBurnie.

Watford will again be without defender Miguel Britos through suspension. Right-back Kiko Femenia should be available after missing the Manchester City defeat as a precaution because of a head injury. Sebastian Prodl (thigh) is stepping up his rehabilitation but Younes Kaboul (hamstring) is not expected back until after the international break. Fellow defender Craig Cathcart and forward Mauro Zarate continue their recovery from knee problems.

Provisional squad: Gomes, Holebas, Kabasele, Mariappa, Janmaat, Richarlison, Doucoure, Cleverley, Chalobah, Carrillo, Gray, Karnezis, Zeegelaar, Success, Wague, Deeney, Capoue, Pereyra, Femenia.

Leicester vs. Liverpool

Jamie Vardy is expected to return to the Leicester squad for the Premier League visit of Liverpool after missing the Carabao Cup game against Jurgen Klopp’s team on Tuesday night with a groin injury. Fellow striker Leonardo Ulloa suffered a head injury against Liverpool in midweek but is fine and Christian Fuchs is fit again after his recent eye problem. However, midfielder Matty James is out for between four and six weeks with the Achilles injury he sustained against Chelsea.

Provisional squad: Schmeichel, Jakupovic, Hamer, Simpson, Fuchs, Morgan, Chilwell, Maguire, Dragovic, Wasilewski, Benalouane, Iborra, Ndidi, Amartey, Gray, Albrighton, Mahrez, Musa, Vardy, Ulloa, Slimani, Okazaki, Iheanacho.

Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren is unlikely to feature at Leicester as he has not trained this week because of the back injury which forced him to sit out their last two matches. Fellow centre-back Joel Matip is also a doubt as he is carrying a knock from last weekend’s draw with Burnley. Midfielder Emre Can returned to training on Thursday after recovering from a minor injury while forward Sadio Mane serves the final match of his suspension.

Provisional squad: Mignolet, Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Klavan, Moreno, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Coutinho, Salah, Sturridge, Firmino, Flanagan, Matip, Milner, Robertson, Grujic, Can, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Solanke, Ings.

SUNDAY’S GAME Brighton vs. Newcastle

Bruno, Glenn Murray, Izzy Brown and Gaetan Bong will all be available for Brighton. Bruno was absent for last Friday’s defeat at Bournemouth, owing to a back injury, while Murray missed out on Tuesday’s loss to the same team because of an injured ankle. A back injury means Steve Sidwell remains unavailable, while Beram Kayal is a long-term absentee having broken his leg.

Provisional squad: Krul, Maenpaa, Ryan, Schelotto, Hunemeier, Bruno, Dunk, Duffy, Goldson, Rosenior, Suttner, Bong, Ahannach, Brown, Hutchinson, March, Stephens, Skalak, Propper, Knockaert, Izquierdo, Gross, Murphy, Murray, Hemed.

Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez has no fresh injury concerns as he goes in search of a fourth successive Premier League win. Florian Lejeune is yet to fully recover from the ankle injury he suffered against Tottenham during the opening weekend of the campaign, while fellow defenders Paul Dummett (hamstring) and Massadio Haidara (knee) continue to work their way back to fitness. Striker Aleksandar Mitrovic completes his three-match man, while midfielder Jonjo Shelvey looks for his first start since returning from his own suspension.

Provisional squad: Elliot, Darlow, Woodman, Yedlin, Manquillo, Mbemba, Gamez, Lascelles, Clark, Hayden, Merino, Shelvey, Saivet, Ritchie, Atsu, Murphy, Aarons, Diame, Barlaser, Perez, Gayle, Joselu.

MONDAY’S GAME Arsenal vs. West Brom

Mesut Ozil is in contention to return to the Arsenal team. The Germany midfielder has been struggling with a knee injury but is now back in training, while Theo Walcott should be fit despite being forced off with a knock in the midweek Carabao Cup win over Doncaster. Danny Welbeck (groin), Francis Coquelin (hamstring) and Santi Cazorla (ankle) are missing, as is Calum Chambers who has suffered a recurrence of a recent hip problem.

Provisional squad: Cech, Ospina, Mertesacker, Holding, Koscielny, Monreal, Mustafi, Bellerin, Nelson, Kolasinac, Ramsey, Wilshere, Xhaka, Elneny, Ozil, Giroud, Walcott, Sanchez, Iwobi, Lacazette.

West Brom midfielder Gareth Barry is expected to break the Premier League appearance record against Arsenal. The 36-year-old, who made his professional debut for Aston Villa in 1998, will play in his 633rd top-flight game and break Ryan Giggs’ record if he features on Monday night. Chris Brunt (calf) will be assessed along with Nacer Chadli (thigh) and Oliver Burke (hamstring) while it remains to be seen if Jake Livermore will return to the squad after being given a break by Baggies boss Tony Pulis.

Provisional squad: Foster, Myhill, Nyom, Evans, Dawson, McAuley, Yuning, Hegazi, Gibbs, Brunt, Yacob, Morrison, Field, McClean, Chadli, Barry, Rondon, Rodriguez, Burke, Robson-Kanu, Krychowiak, Livermore.

Injury Table

The post Premier League weekend team news Injuries and suspensions update appeared first on Daily Star Sports.

from https://dailystarsports.com/2017/09/22/premier-league-weekend-team-news-injuries-and-suspensions-update-5/ from https://dailystarsports.tumblr.com/post/165634636426