Several club managers have been left cursing the international break with players returning injured.
Champions Manchester City have been dealt a blow for the tricky trip to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday after midfielder David Silva returned from international duty injured.
The Spaniard damaged his hamstring against France on Tuesday. "David has a hamstring problem and is not ready for tomorrow," coach Roberto Mancini said. "We hope that he will be ready for the next Premier League game against Swansea."
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers could also be counting the cost of the international break with Spanish goalkeeper Pepe Reina nursing a hamstring problem ahead of the home match against Rodgers' former club Reading on Saturday.
"Speaking to Pepe last night, he very rarely has any muscle injuries, but hopefully it will prove not to be serious," Rodgers told Liverpool's website.
"I think Spain picked up a few injuries. By all accounts the pitch wasn't the best and a number of them picked up muscle injuries."
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson said the forward's return boosted his attacking options.
"Young gives us another option," Ferguson told United's website. "Very few players can cross the ball as well as he can and his goal-scoring ratio is very good for us."
Ferguson said all the United players will wear anti-racism T-shirts before the game against Stoke as part of the Kick it Out campaign's awareness drive.
Several black players, including Reading's Jason Roberts, have said they will not wear the shirts in protest at what they think is a failure to tackle an issue thrown into the spotlight by the John Terry saga.
"I think everyone should be united, I don't know what point he's trying to make," Ferguson said. "He really should be supporting all the other players who are doing it."
