Friday didn’t bring any definitive answer on whether Mason Mount (ankle) would be fit for Sunday’s match with Liverpool.
Speaking ahead of the game, Frank Lampard said:
Got a chance. We’re trying to get him moving today, it’s one I’m going to have to call later on just before the game with another 24 hours in the bank.
The good thing is his attitude, which I keep going on about, is so good that he’ll give everything to get out and play for this club, particularly in a game of this size, so we’ll have every opportunity to try to get him there.
There’s a lot of swelling and it didn’t look the best. Sometimes if they’re swollen and you strap it up old-school and get out there, it can be done. We won’t take any risks with him, obviously, because there’s a bigger picture. We’ll all do our best.
There was frustratingly no update on Antonio Rudiger (groin) or Emerson Palmieri (hamstring), although the latter has been sighted in training this week and could return.
N’Golo Kante (knee) has also returned to the training ground, with Lampard saying:
The question for me is how fit he is because he’s had a long time out now since the back-end of last season, I know he had a couple of games this year but I don’t count them because he missed the pre-season.
So now we just have to manage him, similar to what I said with Mason, it’s like the bigger picture. But great to have him back around us.
On top of Mount, there is another popular mid-price FPL midfielder who is a doubt for Gameweek 6.
Daniel James missed out on Manchester United’s win over Astana with a knock and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said afterwards:
I don’t know [whether James will recover]. He’s not trained the last few days. Hopefully, but not sure. We’ll have a recovery day with everyone tomorrow and we’ll see on Saturday.
Asked whether Paul Pogba (ankle) and Anthony Martial (thigh) have a chance of featuring, Solskjaer replied:
Not really, no. They’ve not been training yet so I don’t think so. [Luke Shaw] won’t be ready.
The United boss faced the usual questions about Mason Greenwood‘s chances of starting, with the teenage striker having scored in Thursday’s win over Astana.
Solskjaer replied:
Consistency’s key in football anyway, consistency in team selection and form. But you’ve got players like Axel [Tuanzebe], Mason [Greenwood] and Fred knocking on the door to be in from the start.
It’s always hard to keep players who perform well out of the team. If he keeps scoring goals when he’s on the pitch he’ll get more minutes in the Premier League as well, and he’ll get his first start soon.
United’s opponents this weekend, West Ham United, will make a late check on Manuel Lanzini, who has a “small problem”.
Arthur Masuaku is suspended.
It was quieter on the injury front at Liverpool and Manchester City, at least, with Jurgen Klopp providing us with the following comments this morning:
Naby will be back in training at least today first time with the team. Ali is making big progress but still a while away. Div, we have to see day by day. How can he deal with the pain. I think it’s unlikely [Origi will play] but why should I rule him out.
Pep Guardiola said he would assess his players today after their return from Ukraine but John Stones (thigh) and Aymeric Laporte (knee) remain out, leaving few options for him in central defence.
Asked about his problems in that position, Guardiola said:
We don’t have many other options. Rodri can play there and of course two young players that we trust a lot (Garcia and Harwood-Bellis), so we are going to count on them. It’s not a problem, it’s a challenge.
Elsewhere, Roy Hodgson said that Connor Wickham (unspecified) was his only injury-related absentee for the match against Wolves.
Nuno Espirito Santo won’t deliver any press conference today after the club’s Europa League involvement on Thursday but Diogo Jota and Joao Moutinho could return after being benched against Braga.
Daniel Farke said that Grant Hanley is now fit to start for Norwich City and that Moritz Leitner (calf) will be in the squad for the match against Burnley, although Ralf Fährmann misses out with a slight groin problem.
Patrick Roberts is available after being ineligible to face parent club Man City.
Steve Bruce confirmed that the returning Allan Saint-Maximin (hamstring) and Andy Carroll (match fitness) will be in contention to feature if they make it through today’s training session unscathed.
Fabian Schar has recovered from a knock but Sean Longstaff (ankle) remains out.
On Everton’s team news, Marco Silva said:
Andre Gomes is out and JP Gbamin out as well. He [Gomes] is getting better, not in full training with the team. The type of situation where we have to see every two or three days.
James Chester (match fitness) and Jonathan Kodjia (cheekbone) remain out for Aston Villa but Trezeguet returns from suspension and Matt Targett (hamstring) is back in contention.
For a round-up of yesterday’s eight press conferences, click here.
Predicted line-ups and more detailed information can be found in the Team News tab.
You can view a video round-up or listen to the podcast summary of Gameweek 6’s press conferences below.
