FPL Daily: Jota injures ankle ahead of Double Gameweek 26

We round up the key Fantasy Premier League (FPL) talking points of the day in FPL Daily, a weekday series that serves non-Premier League matchdays and days when we don’t bring you a team news/press conference round-up.

JOTA INJURY LATEST

All eyes and ears will be on Jurgen Klopp’s pre-match press conference on Friday after Diogo Jota (£8.5m), owned by 40% of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers overall and 88% of the top 10,000 bosses, picked up an ankle injury in Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Inter Milan.

Jota failed to emerge for the second half in the San Siro, with Klopp later explaining that the Portuguese midfielder’s half-time substitution was enforced after he sustained a knock in the opening 45 minutes.

“Diogo had to go off with something around the ankle ligament, we will see – we don’t know exactly. He could play on (until the break), obviously, maybe it’s a good sign. But at half-time, the ankle was swollen and we had to change.” – Jurgen Klopp speaking to pitchside reporters immediately after full-time

“His ankle is swollen, it’s obviously not a good sign, but we have to see. We’ll check it as early as possible tomorrow but we need further assessment.” – Jurgen Klopp in his post-match press conference

The Reds open their Double Gameweek 26 with a home fixture against Norwich City on Saturday, less than 72 hours after their Champions League success in Milan, before welcoming Leeds United to Anfield next Wednesday.

SALAH SCORES

While one widely owned Liverpool midfielder was icing his ankle, another put his side into a commanding first-leg position.

Mohamed Salah (£13.0m) hadn’t been at his best against Inter but still added to Roberto Firmino‘s (£8.7m) strike with his first goal since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations.

Salah was the only Liverpool midfielder or forward to last 90 minutes in Milan, with Sadio Mane (£11.7m) hooked as part of a triple substitution on the hour-mark. His replacement, new signing Luis Diaz (£8.0m), was arguably the pick of the five players who spent time in the front three.

There were full-game run-outs for Andrew Robertson (£7.1m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£8.5m), too, and the latter has now racked up 360 minutes of football over the last 11 days.

Above graphic from Legomane

Liverpool now face seven more matches in the space of three weeks, with the cup tie against Norwich looking like a good time to hand key players some breathers – although there is every chance of a degree of minute-management in the upcoming Gameweek 26 double-header, with an EFL Cup final against Chelsea only 10 days away.

As for Manchester City, their emphatic 5-0 win in Lisbon 24 hours earlier effectively means that Pep Guardiola can spare some of his big-name players in every midweek between now and the March international break, as we’ll surely see some rests dished out in the FA Cup tie against Peterborough in between Gameweeks 27 and 28.

Kevin De Bruyne (£12.1m), Joao Cancelo (£7.2m), Raheem Sterling (£10.7m) and Riyad Mahrez (£8.7m) all lasted the full game in Portugal, with Phil Foden (£8.0m) withdrawn after 61 minutes.

VARDY ON THE RADAR FOR BLANK GAMEWEEK 30

Jamie Vardy (£10.3m) is “10 days to two weeks” away from a return to action, putting him in the frame for a Gameweek 28 comeback, if not sooner.

The striker has been out of action in 2022 because of a hamstring injury but is already back on the grass.

“[Vardy is] working very well. He’s probably a couple of weeks away, 10 days to two weeks. He’s out on the field, he’s running, he’s working and he’s looking very sharp, so hopefully soon.” – Brendan Rodgers

Vardy’s return to fitness is one for the FPL watchlist as Leicester are one of just six teams who are guaranteed a league fixture in Blank Gameweek 30, which clashes with the FA Cup quarter-finals. The results of the fifth round of that competition will determine just how big a blank it is.

Brendan Rodgers also gave updates on two of his defenders ahead of Thursday’s Conference League clash with Randers.

“[James Justin]’s probably going to be a couple of weeks, thankfully it’s not too serious, but there’s a slight strain in there so he’ll miss a couple of weeks.

“[Fofana] starts [training] on Friday.” – Brendan Rodgers