We’ve got injury updates from three Premier League managers who held pre-match press conferences on Thursday.
The head coaches of Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur faced the media ahead of their Gameweek 33 fixtures this weekend, while Liverpool‘s Jurgen Klopp was taking questions ahead of the Reds’ FA Cup tie against Manchester City on Saturday. The Merseyside club are next in Premier League action on Tuesday, when they take on Manchester United.
A total of 13 more top-flight bosses will face reporters on Friday (10 Premier League pressers, three of the FA Cup variety), after which we’ll bring you our second team news round-up of the week.
Everton’s Frank Lampard won’t face the media ahead of Saturday’s deadline, however.
In the meantime, check out our ‘early team news’ round-up here for the clubs not listed below.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Antonio Conte has confirmed that Matt Doherty will be out for seven to eight weeks with the knee injury sustained in last weekend’s win over Aston Villa, ending his season prematurely.
READ MORE: Who are the best Matt Doherty replacements in FPL?
Japhet Tanganga (knee) is out until the summer and Oliver Skipp (groin) remains sidelined but Antonio Conte reported no fresh fitness concerns in his pre-match presser.
“This is really bad news for us. You know very well Doherty’s improvement in our team. It’s a pity because to lose a player like him for the rest of season is not good for us. Also Tanganga and Skipp, they are not available for us. Bad news for us in one hand; the other hand, I think we now have the solution to try and cope with this situation until the end of season. There are only seven games to go. Sessegnon is ready, is in the squad, then there is Emerson, Reguilon. We have to try to cope in the best possible way.
“I think the first visit with the doctor, the doctor said that he can recover without surgery. But for sure, in this type of situation, it’s important to have different opinions and then to make the best decision. We’re talking about seven-eight weeks before he recovers. For this reason, his season has finished.” – Antonio Conte
Conte himself had Covid-19 last weekend but is now “fine and well”.
LIVERPOOL
Diogo Jota (knock) is the only concern that Jurgen Klopp has heading into Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City and even then, the Portuguese attacker has a “good chance” of recovering.
“Diogo got a knock that swelled up slightly directly after the game. A good chance that he will be alright but we need to have a closer look tomorrow. That’s it.” – Jurgen Klopp
Klopp rested many of his big guns for Wednesday’s six-goal thriller with Benfica, including Mohamed Salah – and the Egyptian’s benching was something the Liverpool head coach was asked about on Thursday.
“The reason for Mo not starting is easy. It was about, yes he played City but we have after that, hopefully 12 games. That’s why when we have the opportunity, we change. That’s all. Even if Mo had scored four goals in the last game, he wouldn’t have started yesterday. That’s how it is. Nothing to do with anything, there’s no story to make of it. It’s just a necessity.
“Mo played in January and February six times, 120 minutes. Now we can just close our eyes and say, “Who cares?” Even he is just a human being. That’s why it’s clear there will be games he doesn’t start and games where we take him off. He hates that, that’s clear.
“People might think what I’m doing the whole day: I’m thinking about these kinds of things when these things are really necessary to do. It was clearly the case and I think the game proved it 100%. The intensity of the game showed me it was 100% right to change seven times and the next reason was 3-1 up, 6-2 up.
“That’s why Mo didn’t start. I just hope that the boys can play at their highest level as often as somehow possible. That’s what we try to do.
“Believe me, it’s a massive difference if you play three days after you played a game, again 90 minutes and you have to go again with all you have. Or if you played a few minutes in this game and have today a nice session, which is intense as well but not even close to the intensity of a game.” – Jurgen Klopp
SOUTHAMPTON
Lyanco (thigh), Alex McCarthy (hamstring) and Shane Long (ankle) have all been in full team training this week, leaving Ralph Hasenhuttl with precious little to worry about on the fitness front.
“Yesterday we had everybody fit. Today we had one or two smaller issues in the session. So far, nothing what I can say is a problem for the weekend.” – Ralph Hasenhuttl
Loanee Armando Broja is back after being ineligible to face his parent club, Chelsea, in Gameweek 32.
“Broja on his best level is definitely a player that can help us. But the important thing is that he has to step up and find a way back to his best performances, like we all have to.” – Ralph Hasenhuttl
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