There is a lot to round up from the 20 pre-match press conferences that have taken place ahead of tonight’s Gameweek 12 deadline and we’ll bring you up to speed in our regular team news summary below.
Our YouTube and podcast injury recap is available towards the bottom of this piece, while our Team News tab provides even more detail on what we offer here.
FULHAM V LIVERPOOL
Diogo Jota and Kostas Tsimikas will both be assessed after picking up knocks in the Champions League on Tuesday, while James Milner (muscle), Xherdan Shaqiri (muscle), Thiago Alcantara (knee), Joe Gomez (knee) and Virgil van Dijk (knee) remain out.
Alisson (hamstring) is expected back in training on Friday and Jurgen Klopp said the Brazilian “can play” if he has no adverse reaction.
Klopp told reporters:
Diogo [Jota] we have to see, he got a knock. Kostas [Tsimikas], we have to see. That’s it from the [Champions League] game, I think.
Oxlade, is in normal training. Doing parts of training now for a week or so, is now in full training and we will see. The situation probably demands to involve him as soon as possible but I don’t know if the weekend is that moment already.
Ali will train today, that’s what I’ve heard. And yes, if he trains, and it’s all fine, then he can play.
Nobody else is coming back [from injury], I’m afraid.
Terence Kongolo (foot) and Kenny Tete (calf) look set to miss out again after only just returning to training following lengthy lay-offs but Scott Parker reported no fresh injuries in the Fulham camp in his pre-match press conference.
MANCHESTER UNITED V MANCHESTER CITY
Pep Guardiola mysteriously said on Friday that “except two players”, he has a fit squad for the Manchester derby.
Eric Garcia (leg) and Ilkay Gundogan (ankle) were substituted off in midweek and the former is definitely one of the absentees but Gundogan has trained as of Friday, with Guardiola reporting:
Eric [Garcia] is not fit. He will be two or three weeks out. [Ilkay Gundogan] trained good.
The City boss reitereated that Sergio Aguero wouldn’t make the starting XI at Old Trafford, meanwhile.
There was mixed news from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on two of his striking options, meanwhile:
Anthony [Martial] will definitely be involved and Edinson [Cavani] has been on the grass today but I’m not sure if he’ll make it. Apart from that, we’ve had a couple of days of recovery and we should be ready.
CRYSTAL PALACE V TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Erik Lamela (unspecified) remains a major doubt for the trip to Crystal Palace, while Serge Aurier missed the win over Antwerp on Thursday having “had a reaction” to a minor injury against Arsenal.
Asked about rotation in December, Jose Mourinho told reporters:
It is impossible for a player to play all these matches in a short period of time, of course, we need to [rotate] and we have to do it but at the same time, there are players that are really really unique.
With some unique players, in spite of the fact that the squad is very good, we have to try to give them the most minutes possible because they can make a difference.
Martin Kelly (calf), Nathan Ferguson (knee), Connor Wickham (muscle) and Wayne Hennessey (muscle) remain sidelined for Palace, with Roy Hodgson revealing that the Eagles don’t have any new injury concerns going into the weekend – although Tyrick Mitchell was sent home from training on Friday with a “cold”.
EVERTON V CHELSEA
Hakim Ziyech and Callum Hudson-Odoi will both be absent for around a fortnight with hamstring injuries but Frank Lampard otherwise reported a clean bill of health in his press conference.
There were slight concerns about Christian Pulisic but Lampard explained:
Christian Pulisic had a tiny bit of awareness off the back of the Leeds game in one of his hamstrings but he’s training normally, so should be as we were.
It’s a work in progress. I don’t want to call this an injury that he had in midweek. If the game had been a different type of game, it may have been one where I would have used him. I just have to find the right way to get the best out of him.
Seamus Coleman (hamstring) and Lucas Digne (ankle) have been joined on the sidelines by Fabian Delph (hamstring) and James Rodriguez (calf).
Carlo Ancelotti told the media:
We have three players not available.
One is Coleman, that started this week to train with the team. Is quite good, I think he will be available for the next game against Leicester on Wednesday.
Delph suffered an injury against Burnley.
[Rodriguez] had a little problem during the game against Burnley, he was not able to train this week. I think he will start to train next week. But for this game, we don’t want to take a risk.
LEEDS UNITED V WEST HAM UNITED
Leeds United have been hit by a double injury blow at centre-half, with Robin Koch ruled out for three months after knee surgery and Diego Llorente set to miss up to three weeks of action with a muscle problem.
The pair join Adam Forshaw (hip) on the sidelines for the visit of West Ham United but Jamie Shackleton (hamstring) and Pablo Hernandez (muscle) are back in contention.
As you’ll no doubt have seen by now, Marcelo Bielsa helped us out no end by naming his starting XI:
David Moyes revealed that Michail Antonio (hamstring) was “more than likely doubtful” for the trip to Leeds, with the West Ham striker “still recovering”.
The only other injury updates that Moyes provided to the media were positive ones, with Ryan Fredericks (groin) back in training and Andriy Yarmolenko (illness) fit again, but a bombshell emerged later in the day concerning Arthur Masuaku.
Nothing has yet been confirmed by the Hammers but the wing-back has reportedly gone under the knife to correct a long-standing knee issue, with the player himself announcing the news on social media before swiftly removing the update.
NEWCASTLE UNITED V WEST BROMWICH ALBION
There is much uncertainty surrounding Steve Bruce’s team selection this weekend, with the Newcastle United boss telling reporters on Friday that his side will be without a “big chunk of players” against West Bromwich Albion because of the coronavirus outbreak that has recently swept through the club.
Bruce refused to elaborate on who the absentees were and didn’t even bring us up to speed on the conditions of Jamaal Lascelles (thigh), Allan Saint-Maximin (muscle), Andy Carroll (calf), Ryan Fraser (hamstring), Paul Dummett (hamstring) and Martin Dubravka (heel), all of whom missed the win over Crystal Palace a fortnight ago.
The Newcastle boss said:
I have to respect the players and the staff and respect their wishes, too. Sometimes you want to remain a little bit confidential and respect their privacy a bit.
We’re far better than where we were last Monday. Since then we’ve been able to reopen the training ground. Everyone’s been tested twice since Monday and proved negative. We’ve got enough to pick 11.
Matheus Pereira begins a three-match ban following his dismissal in the defeat to Crystal Palace last weekend, with Albion’s appeal against his red card falling on deaf ears.
Hal Robson-Kanu is also sidelined after inflaming his wrist injury and Sam Field is not yet match-fit enough to feature but Jake Livermore was declared available for selection by his manager on Thursday, having had a full week of training under his belt following a recent spell in self-isolation
SOUTHAMPTON V SHEFFIELD UNITED
Southampton have no injury concerns ahead of the visit of Sheffield United, with Danny Ings having made his return from a knee problem as a second-half substitute against Brighton last Monday.
Ralph Hasenhuttl said of his star striker:
No injuries so far, everybody is available and fit. [Danny Ings] is further in his physical options and yeah, definitely also an option for me to bring into the starting XI.
On possible rotation, the Southampton boss added:
We are not scared of the midweek games, three games a week is not a problem for our players. We didn’t rotate so much last Christmas, we didn’t have to because the players are so fit.
Enda Stevens (knee), Ethan Ampadu (knock) and Lys Mousset (ankle) have all trained ahead of the weekend, with Chris Wilder saying on Friday that he is hopeful of their involvement.
Wilder had stated earlier in the week that Stevens and Ampadu would “definitely” be back for this fixture.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS V ASTON VILLA
Ross Barkley (hamstring) and Wesley (knee) remain sidelined for Aston Villa ahead of their trip to Molineux, while the game may come too soon for Keinan Davis (ankle) despite a return to training.
Tom Heaton (match fitness) is expected to feature for the under-23s on Friday, meanwhile, but Bjorn Engels (thigh) and Frederic Guilbert (hip) are reportedly in contention for a return to the first-team squad after recent lay-offs.
Dean Smith said of Barkley:
Ross [Barkley] is still carrying an injury, he’s rehabbing at the moment. He’s back running now, so it shouldn’t be too long before he’s back.
Wolves are without Jonny (knee) and Raul Jimenez (head) but have no new concerns.
LEICESTER CITY V BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
Graham Potter confirmed on Thursday that Adam Lallana (groin) is likely to miss the trip to Leicester but Davy Propper and Alexis Mac Allister (both match fitness) were described as “closer” to a return.
Potter added that Pascal Gross has replaced Neal Maupay as Brighton’s first-choice penalty-taker.
Brendan Rodgers reported that James Maddison is “fine” after a minor knee problem but revealed that Timothy Castagne (hamstring) and Caglar Soyuncu (groin) will “probably just miss out”.
Ricardo Pereira (groin) is a couple of weeks away but Daniel Amartey (knee) is back in training.
ARSENAL V BURNLEY
Thomas Partey (thigh) and Nicolas Pepe (suspended) are the only known absentees ahead of Sunday’s match, although Reiss Nelson (head) and Sead Kolasinac (knock) missed the Gunners’ final Europa League group game with minor issues and their availability is still to be confirmed.
David Luiz will be assessed for a head injury.
Phil Bardsley (ribs) is back in contention for a place in the Burnley squad but Jack Cork (ankle) isn’t quite ready to return, with both he and Dale Stephens (hamstring) pencilled in for behind-closed-doors run-outs before they are considered for the first team.
Johann Berg Gudmundsson (hamstring) is also likely to be handed more recovery time and miss out this weekend.
More detailed information and predicted line-ups can be found in the Team News tab.
Keep an eye on our Twitter feed, too, for any late-breaking updates.
A video round-up with Andy and Neale can be found below.
3 years, 4 months ago3-3 tonight is my prediction