We round up the key Fantasy Premier League (FPL) talking points of the day in FPL Daily – and injury news was dominating talk in the Fantasy world on Wednesday.
JAMES INJURY LATEST
It’s looking like 18 points and out for Reece James (£6.2m) in Double Gameweek 28 as the defender picked up a fresh muscle problem in the win over Burnley on Saturday.
James was unable to train on Wednesday and is set for further examination on the injury, which at least isn’t a recurrence of his previous problem.
“He has a bit muscular problems after the last three matches, not in his [previously] injured leg but in his other leg. We need examination – we thought he could maybe be on the pitch today but he couldn’t.
“He felt it during the [Burnley] match, that’s why we took him out – and it didn’t get better. So we are worried but still, we need more details and information. Today will be further examinations. A setback, for sure – I hope not a big one”. – Thomas Tuchel on Reece James
Bar Ben Chilwell (£5.6m) and James, Tuchel said that everyone else was on the training pitch for the trip to Norwich – meaning that Marcos Alonso (£5.6m) and Cesar Azpilicueta (£5.6m) could be back in contention at Carrow Road.
VARDY OUT OF GAMEWEEK 30
The Jamie Vardy (£10.3m) Gameweek 30 party has been unceremoniously broken up after the veteran striker was ruled out until after the March international break by his manager on Wednesday.
The veteran striker picked up another injury on his first start of 2022 last weekend, which now means that he’ll be unavailable for Leicester’s clash with Brentford a week on Sunday – which was arguably the stand-out fixture of a four-match Blank Gameweek 30.
“Vards will be out. He unfortunately got injured in the last game so is going to be out for a few weeks, which is a shame. He just got a knock towards his knee, but hopefully in the next three to four weeks, he responds okay.
“He felt a soreness on it after the game the other day. It’s very frustrating for both [the club and the player]. For him in particular, having been out, working so hard to get back, you can see the difference he makes to the team.” – Brendan Rodgers
There was better news elsewhere as James Maddison (£6.7m) and James Justin (£4.9m) were passed fit for Thursday’s UEFA Europa Conference League clash with Rennes, while Ricardo Pereira (£5.2m) and Wesley Fofana (£4.3m) are on the cusp of a comeback despite this match coming a bit too early.
“James Justin will be back. James Maddison will be back. Ricardo is probably not quite ready for tomorrow but we’ll see for the weekend. Apart from that, everyone else has come through the last game.
“[Fofana] picked up COVID. It’s just been our season, right the way through, with injuries. It’s unfortunate circumstances. He’s not going to be able to feature tomorrow, but we’re hoping for the weekend now.” – Brendan Rodgers
BOWEN UPDATE
Jarrod Bowen (£7.0m) will miss West Ham United’s Europa League clash against Sevilla on Thursday but the Hammers are confident that the midfielder won’t be sidelined for too long, potentially returning for the second leg of tomorrow’s tie – and if he does that, he’ll be available for Blank Gameweek 30.
“We hope Jarrod can make it [for the second leg], we do not see it being a [long] injury… we’ve had three or four scans and we’ve not seen anything severe but we are also just trying to find out the cause because we’re a bit concerned what it might be. But we’re hoping to get Jarrod back because he’s been a really important part of the team recently.” – David Moyes
PRESS CONFERENCE ROUND-UP
Seven other Premier League managers faced the media on Wednesday ahead of their respective sides’ second Double Gameweek 28 fixtures.
There weren’t any real bombshells in any of them, with no fresh injury concerns reported that we didn’t already know about.
The headline news came from Aston Villa, with Steven Gerrard saying that Ezri Konsa (£4.9m), Lucas Digne (£5.1m) and Carney Chukwuemeka (£4.5m) are all back available ahead of Thursday’s game against Leeds after missing out at the weekend.
“We’re in a good place. We’ve got the majority of the team fit and available. There’s only Marvelous Nakamba who we’re waiting for to come back into the group.
“Carney Chukwuemeka will join the group, Ezri Konsa’s back available, Lucas Digne’s back, so I’ve got some tough decisions from now until kick-off. That’s the position I like to be in.” – Steven Gerrard
The Whites’ head coach, Jesse Marsch, promised that Patrick Bamford (£7.7m) would get onto the field of play on Thursday, while Diego Llorente (£4.5m) and Adam Forshaw (£4.5m) are now fully fit after recent minor problems.
“Patrick [Bamford] will play for sure, tomorrow. He won’t start but he will be ready from the bench. I think [Llorente and Forshaw] are both possibilities from the start.” – Jesse Marsch
Josh King’s (£5.7m) fitness will be assessed after training today, with the striker having missed out at the weekend as a precaution.
Ismaïla Sarr (£5.7m) remains out, while Nicolas Nkoulou (£4.4m) could return to full training in the next few days. Jeremy Ngakia (£4.3m) is targeting Gameweek 29 for a return, while tomorrow’s game against Wolves likely comes too soon for William Troost-Ekong (£4.3m) despite today’s return to training following a minor groin problem.
Bruno Lage confirms that Nélson Semedo (£4.8m) and Ki-Jana Hoever (£3.9m) are the only absentees for Wolves’ clash with Watford tomorrow.
Mohammed Salisu (£4.5m) will be assessed by Southampton for their meeeting with Newcastle, with nothing else changing on the team news front at Saints despite Nathan Tella’s return to training.
Matt Ritchie (£4.9m) is back in training for the Magpies but Callum Wilson (£7.2m) and Kieran Trippier (£5.0m) remain out.
“We had a few niggles as I said after the Brighton game. We’ve had Matt Ritchie return to training which is a really good thing but no major (injury) problems.
He’s (Allan Saint-Maximin) not 100% fit. He did one day’s training [before Brighton]. I think it was his first day’s training in three weeks before the previous game so we’re very keen to obviously have him back at his best.
“I think when he came on in, he did well and I thought he actually, at a key moment in the game, gave us a bit of a lift but we’re trying to build up his fitness so he’s nearly there.” – Eddie Howe
Andrew Omobamidele (£3.9m) and Adam Idah (£4.9m) remain out for Norwich and Billy Gilmour (£4.3m) is ineligible to play against his parent club but Max Aarons (£4.3m) and Lukas Rupp (£4.4m) are fit.
