There may only be 14 clubs in action in Gameweek 8 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) but there is still plenty of team news to dissect ahead of Friday’s deadline.
We’ll be covering all of the injury updates and key manager quotes from the Premier League press conferences being held over the next two days, starting with this round-up of the media gatherings on Thursday.
Marco Silva faced reporters on Wednesday, meanwhile, and we’ve got the headline injury news from the Fulham camp in this article, too.
KEY UPDATES
- Tottenham Hotspur: Conte: No player is “undroppable”
- Aston Villa: Watkins to be assessed; Martinez should be fine
- Leicester City: Praet the only issue
- Fulham: Robinson a doubt
- Southampton: No fresh concerns
- Nottingham Forest: Slight setback for Mangala
PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES:
CLUB-BY-CLUB GUIDE
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Antonio Conte said that no player is “undroppable” when asked if an out-of-form Son Heung-min was rotation-proof in his pre-match press conference on Thursday.
“This has to be very clear: there is no player, undroppable. If I say this, it’s only to try and help my players and to try to avoid injuries, to try to have players at the top of their form and to have a good performance. If I’m telling this, it’s only to protect my players and to give them the possibility to be in every moment at the top. You know you can play one game well, another so-so, another you can score, another not. My task is to protect my players, to protect the team and also to find the right way to get a good result. If you don’t start with some players it means that during the game, then you have the possibility to use them.
“But I repeat: if we want to continue to play these four competitions, especially the Champions League. In the Europa League and Conference League, it can give you the possibility in the group stage to make rotations. If you drop a bit of the quality in the starting XI, maybe you can still win the same. In the Champions League, they are always massive games. For this reason, I need to have all the players available. All the players has to be available for the rotation, to be in every moment ready when I call them to play.” – Antonio Conte
The Spurs boss also suggested that Emerson Royal was “fatigued” but seemed to hint that positional rival Matt Doherty wouldn’t be considered until after the international break, during which he will get the chance to build up his match fitness with the Republic of Ireland.
Ivan Perisic and Dejan Kulusevski also got mentions in the comments below.
“I can explain because I like to be honest, not only with you but first of all my players. In this first part of seven games, don’t forgot we had players like Matthew [Doherty] that had serious injury and I said in the past he is struggling a bit to come back as the player that I knew last season. For sure now he is improving a lot and I am sure that now it is the international break, he will the possibility to have two games with the national team and then, when he will come back, I am sure that I will have the possibility to have another rotation with him. It is the same with Skippy because in this period, Skippy had a serious injury. He played his last game in January, maybe December.
“Then there are players like Richarlison, who went into the team quickly, Lenglet was the same, Perisic was the same, the only player who is struggling a bit with the tactical aspect is Bissouma – but also is improving a lot.
“I try to take the best decision for the player, because I want to protect the player. For sure, when we start to play 12 games in one month, you have to be ready because I need all my players.” – Antonio Conte
“In my opinion, Emerson had a good start in this season and he can play in this position. He’s doing well. In the last game against Sporting Lisbon, he could have scored three goals, not one! In every game he is totally involved. Don’t forget Emerson played every game in this period, for sure now he can be a bit tired.
“The wing-backs can always be fatigued because you become a striker when you are going to attack and you have to become a defender when we have to defend, but I’m really happy about Emerson’s performance because you think, compared to last season, he did a good improvement.
“At the same time you know that we also have Ivan Perisic who can play on the right or left and Sessegnon, he is fit and he’s in a good moment of form. For sure maybe he’s one of the players that in this moment deserves to play, like Deki [Kulusevski], but we’ll do it with the right time and the right patience, to try to do the best for our team.” – Antonio Conte on Emerson Royal
The team news remains the same, with only Lucas Moura (tendon) unavailable.
ASTON VILLA
Emiliano Martinez and Ollie Watkins have both been ill this week, although Steven Gerrard is confident that the former in particular will be fit to face Southampton on Friday night.
An Aston Villa medical bulletin said that Martinez had missed training on Thursday after feeling unwell overnight but added that Gerrard had “no doubt” that he would be fit for Gameweek 8.
There seems to be a little bit more doubt about Watkins, with Villa saying that a “late call” would be made on his inclusion.
Back-up goalkeepers Robin Olsen (knee) and Jed Steer (Achilles) also missed training on Thursday, with the Swedish custodian also facing assessment ahead of the visit of Southampton.
Reports suggest that Matty Cash (hamstring) will be out until after the international break, meanwhile.
“We’ve got a few issues that we need to make late calls on.
“Ollie Watkins has been a little bit unwell at the beginning of the week, so we’ll make a late call on Ollie.
“Emi Martínez missed training today and we also had Robin Olsen out of training today. That doesn’t mean that they won’t be available tomorrow but again, we’ll have to make sensible decisions on both.
“Jan (Bednarek) isn’t available because Southampton are his parent club. Outside of that, everyone is good to go.
“[Martinez] hasn’t been feeling too good overnight. I don’t think it’s a big issue. We’ve had him in front of the doctor and given him some medicine to hopefully make him feel better in the coming hours. I’ve got no doubt he’ll pull through, I think he’ll be available, but I just want to be respectful and make you guys aware, just in case you think I’m a liar tomorrow night!” – Steven Gerrard
LEICESTER CITY
Other than long-term absentees Ryan Bertrand (knee) and Ricardo Pereira (Achilles), Leicester City only have a concern over Dennis Praet (foot) ahead of Gameweek 8.
Even then, the Belgian is expected to return to training on Friday.
Brendan Rodgers confirmed in Thursday’s pre-match presser that everyone else is fine.
“Dennis Praet has been out for a few days, but he should come back in tomorrow and should be okay. Apart from that, everyone was okay.
“It’s just his foot. He’s had an ongoing issue for a little while. He’s tried to play through it, but he’s been off for a few days to allow that to recover. He was out on the pitches with our rehabilitation team today and he should be okay.” – Brendan Rodgers
FULHAM
Long-term absentees Manor Solomon (knee) and Harry Wilson (knee) remain out, while Marco Silva admitted on Wednesday that it would be “difficult” for Antonee Robinson (ankle) to recover in time for Gameweek 8.
“Still in doubt. It will be difficult, I have to be honest. We still have some more hours until the game and we have to check him, like we are doing every single day, and we have to take the decision.” – Marco Silva on Antonee Robinson
Summer signing Layvin Kurzawa could make his Fulham debut in Robinson’s absence.
“In that moment [in Gameweek 6], he wasn’t fit. He had just signed. Kurzawa was a different situation than Vinnie [Carlos Vinicius], Daniel James, players who had a pre-season, who played friendly matches or official matches. Kurzawa didn’t have a pre-season with his teammates [at PSG]. He was apart from the group. Of course, it would take time after the Tottenham game. It’s been 15 days and now the situation is different. It’s up to me to decide [to select him].” – Marco Silva on Layvin Kurzawa
SOUTHAMPTON
Tino Livramento (knee) and Romeo Lavia (muscle) are out of the Aston Villa game but Ralph Hasenhuttl reported no fresh injury concerns ahead of Gameweek 8.
“So far we had everybody in training, apart from Livramento and Romeo. They are still out. The rest is training with the team.” – Ralph Hasenhuttl
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Steve Cooper revealed in Thursday’s presser that Orel Mangala (hamstring) had a “slight setback” in his recovery, despite being pictured in training this week.
Forest are still without Moussa Niakhate (hamstring) and Omar Richards (leg), while new signing Serge Aurier is still awaiting visa approval.
Cooper doesn’t have any fresh fitness concerns, at least.
“Orel did come back into training. But he’s had a bit of a setback. It’s nothing too major, but it’s just set him back a day or two. Apart from that, we are as we were.” – Steve Cooper
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