We’ll have all the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) injury updates, team news and key manager quotes as we cover Friday’s Gameweek 3 press conferences in this live blog.
There are 15 managers in total speaking to the media today, with the other five facing questions yesterday.
The major updates from Thursday’s pressers can be found here.
KEY UPDATES
- Liverpool: Firmino fit, Nunez suspended
- Manchester City: Gomez in the squad
- Arsenal: Everyone available
- Aston Villa: Glimmer of hope for Bailey owners
- Newcastle United: Late decision on Targett
- Brighton and Hove Albion: Estupinan in squad
- Crystal Palace: No change in injury situation
- Chelsea: Tuchel on Cucurella/Chilwell
- Manchester United: Martial back in training
- Leeds United: Bamford a ‘maybe’
- Everton: Doucoure out for three weeks
- Wolverhampton Wanderers: Jimenez and Moutinho back in training
- Brentford: Canos and Ajer still out
- West Ham United: Scamacca to be eased in “gradually”
- Fulham: No team news changes
PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES:
For much more detailed information, check out our Predicted Line-ups page and Injuries and Bans feed.
LIVERPOOL
Darwin Nunez begins a three-match ban following his sending off in Monday’s draw with Crystal Palace but Roberto Firmino has been passed fit and looks set to lead the line at Old Trafford in Gameweek 3.
“Bobby has trained, completely normal, is ready.” – Jurgen Klopp
Klopp went on to add that “nobody [else] came back” when reporting on Liverpool’s fitness situation, so Thiago Alcantara (hamstring), Diogo Jota (thigh), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (hamstring), Caoimhin Kelleher (muscle), Ibrahima Konate (muscle), Joel Matip (groin), Calvin Ramsay (muscle) and Curtis Jones (muscle) are all set to remain sidelined.
“Getting closer but no chance for this game.” – Jurgen Klopp on Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones
Naby Keita has another week of training under his belt after missing Gameweek 1 through illness and sitting on the bench on Monday, while Joe Gomez looks set to start at centre-half.
“He had only a little thing, he only came back to team training the day before the game.
“Big opportunity and he looks great in training. He was in the squad last week but now’s back in complete normal training. Hopefully it stays this and then he will start.” – Jurgen Klopp on Joe Gomez
MANCHESTER CITY
Pep Guardiola confirmed on Friday that new signing, left-back Sergio Gomez, will be in the squad to face Newcastle United this weekend.
“He’s ready.” – Pep Guardiola on Sergio Gomez
Other than Aymeric Laporte (knee), the City boss has no real injury concerns going into Gameweek 3.
“Kalvin [Phillips] is back, Cole [Palmer] is back. Some niggles [for] some players, [but] the rest are ok.” – Pep Guardiola
ARSENAL
Mikel Arteta declared a clean bill of health in Friday morning’s presser, with the newly available Fabio Vieira and Emile Smith Rowe building up their match fitness with 45-minute run-outs for the under-21s on Wednesday.
“Everybody’s OK. As you saw, we had Cedric [Soares], Fabio and Emile playing with the under-21s. They looked fit, they trained all week with us, so they are available for selection.” – Mikel Arteta
CHELSEA
N’Golo Kante (hamstring), Armando Broja (unspecified) and Mateo Kovacic (knee) will miss the trip to Leeds, while Christian Pulisic (Achilles) will be assessed.
“[Kante’s injury is] quite serious. We’re talking about weeks, which is not good news. We’re disappointed and sad because N’Golo was super important and super fit. He will be out for several weeks. Armando will be out for some days but cannot come with us to Leeds and Mateo Kovacic, as well, still out with knee problems. Christian Pulisic had Achilles problems but trained today, so let’s see.” – Thomas Tuchel
The Chelsea boss also discussed Marc Cucurella and Ben Chilwell.
“I would say if we play a back four, they are competing for the same place. If we play a back five, not 100 per cent because I think that Ben is a clear wing-back and Marc is both, he can play in a back three and as a wing-back.” – Thomas Tuchel on Ben Chilwell/Marc Cucurella
MANCHESTER UNITED
Anthony Martial (hamstring) has returned to training ahead of the Liverpool game, leaving only Victor Lindelof (thigh) and Facundo Pellistri (ankle) on the sidelines.
“Victor has not returned to the training pitch but the good news is that Anthony Martial is back in training with the team.” – Erik ten Hag
ASTON VILLA
Diego Carlos underwent surgery on Thursday after his ruptured Achilles tendon, so is set for a long spell on the sidelines.
Kortney Hause (knee) is back in full training with the rest of the group, however.
We are awaiting further news on Matthew Cash and Philippe Coutinho, who suffered what their manager guessed was “a bit of tiredness, cramp or tight muscle damage” in the match against Everton. Given the lack of update in the weekly Villa medical bulletin, we assume all is fine on that front.
The Leon Bailey exodus has continued in FPL this week but Steven Gerrard did offer a glimmer of hope to remaining owners when asked about his attacking options.
“We’ve got a lot of attacking options and big talents who all bring different skillsets. They’re all extremely important to us and they certainly will be over the course of the season.
“For me, it’s very much about making decisions about what’s right for the opposition, what’s right for the game plan. We want contributions from them as individuals and as a front unit.
“It’s not a case of having favourites or a best front three, it’s about horses for courses and what we think the game in front of us demands.” – Steven Gerrard when asked if he had a ‘best’ front three
“Did you not notice Leon Bailey’s performance when he come on as a sub, either? His was positive, as well.
“Emi has been fantastic since the first day of pre-season, he had a little small injury that we had to really protect him from. We are delighted with him and he is pushing for a starting place.” – Steven Gerrard when asked if Emi Buendia is challenging for a start
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Eddie Howe said that he hopes Ryan Fraser (back spasm) will be fit to face Manchester City after training all week, while a “late decision” will be taken on Matt Targett (hamstring).
“Ryan, we hope, will be fit and available. He had a back spasm late last week so he was a late withdrawal from the game. He’s trained this week.
“And Matt, we’ll make a very late decision on.” – Eddie Howe
Howe said he didn’t have any other concerns but medium-term absentee Jonjo Shelvey (hamstring) remains out.
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
Long-term injury victim Jakub Moder (knee) is the only definite absentee for the trip to West Ham United, with Graham Potter reporting no new fitness concerns in his pre-match presser.
New signing, left-back Pervis Estupinan, will be in the squad, as will the supposedly exit-bound Neal Maupay.
CRYSTAL PALACE
It’s as you were on the Palace team news front, as Nathan Ferguson (foot), James McArthur (groin) and James Tomkins (calf) all remain out ahead of the Eagles’ trip to Villa Park.
LEEDS UNITED
Stuart Dallas (leg), Luke Ayling (knee) and Junior Firpo (knee) remain out, while Liam Cooper (Achilles) and Patrick Bamford (adductor) are still doubts for the Chelsea game this weekend.
Joe Gelhardt is fit, however.
“Luke and Junior are really looking strong and getting better every day but not ready for Chelsea. We’ll see, I’d say maybe a week or two away, they’re looking better and better.”
“Coops has been on the pitch, I think him and then Pat as well but you know they’re a little bit day-to-day so we’ll have to see how that factors in for Chelsea and then Joffy is back in training and ready to go. Stuart’s still coming along with his injury.
“I would say it’s probably a decision that we’ll be ready to make tomorrow [on Bamford]. We know we can’t risk him and that we don’t want him to pick up further injury. But he’s feeling good, he’s looking good. So let’s see. [Taking him off] was a precaution and then it’s just being precautionary with him in general. We know after having almost missed an entire season that we just have to be really intelligent with how we manage everything. So we’ll be prepared if he’s ready to go and if he’s not.
“If it’s not Sunday [for Cooper] he’ll be ready very soon, the same with Patrick.” – Jesse Marsch
Bamford previously told the official Leeds United podcast that he would “probably miss the Chelsea game”.
EVERTON
Andros Townsend (knee), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (knee), Yerry Mina (ankle) and Ben Godfrey (leg) have been joined by Abdoulaye Doucoure (hamstring) on the sidelines but Allan is fit for the visit of Nottingham Forest.
“Allan’s fit and in the squad. He missed games in pre-season… so we’re trying to get him match-fit but he’s a really good pro and he’s fit, ready to go. Doucoure’s probably going to be about three weeks from now.” – Frank Lampard
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Raul Jimenez (knee) and Joao Moutinho (foot) are back in training, leaving just Chiquinho (knee) on the sidelines for the trip to Tottenham Hotspur.
Nelson Semedo and Adama Traore were substitutes last weekend after their own returns from injury.
Morgan Gibbs-White departed for Nottingham Forest on Thursday but new signing Matheus Nunes could feature, probably from the bench.
“Just Chiquinho is out.
“We have three groups – the group who started the season, the players like Raul, Semedo, Adama and Joao who have started training.
“The other group is Guedes and Nunes who need to understand our routines.” – Bruno Lage
BRENTFORD
Kristoffer Ajer (hamstring) and Sergi Canos (hamstring) are still unavailable ahead of the Fulham match but could return in the next couple of weeks.
Thomas Frank confirmed that Mikkel Damsgaard won’t start but did say that the new signing could feature from the bench.
WEST HAM UNITED
David Moyes said on Friday that Craig Dawson (thigh) is “not too far away”, with no fresh injury concerns reported from Thursday’s win over Viborg.
New signing Gianluca Scamacca scored in that UEFA Europa Conference League victory but bench duty may beckon again on Sunday, with David Moyes saying that the Hammers will bring the striker into the Premier League “gradually”.
FULHAM
Marco Silva says that the Fulham team news remains “the same as last week”, with Manor Solomon and Harry Wilson both out with long-term knee injuries.
That presumably means that Andreas Pereira is fit to feature, with Silva previously saying that the injury that forced him off in Gameweek 2 was “nothing special”.
