FPL friendlies round-up: Diaz injury latest, Almiron’s form continues

With the FIFA World Cup slowly winding its way to a conclusion, preparations for the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) restart are ramping up.

All Premier League clubs bar Bournemouth, Manchester City and Southampton have already contested mid-season friendlies since Gameweek 16 ended, so let’s have a look at how these 17 teams have got on over the last month.

We concentrate on Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest in this round-up.

READ MORE: FPL friendlies round-up: Nketiah scores, Bailey up front

It’s less about the (partly meaningless) on-field action when it comes to these Scout Notes, with more focus on tactical tweaks, injury news and key manager quotes.

More friendlies and Carabao Cup ties will follow before we reach Gameweek 17, so for a full rundown of when and where your Fantasy assets might be in action, check out our complete guide to the FPL restart.

LIVERPOOL

DEC 11: LIVERPOOL 1-3 LYON

• Goals: Carvalho
• Assists: Salah
• Liverpool XI: Kelleher (Adrian 46), Milner (Corness 61), Matip (Phillips 46), Gomez (Chambers 61), Robertson (Tsimikas 46), Bajcetic (Clark 46), Thiago (Keita 61), Elliott (Frauendorf 29, Ramsey 46), Carvalho (Oxlade-Chamberlain 46), Salah (Doak 61), Firmino (Steward 61, Cain 73)

Liverpool suffered a 3-1 defeat to Lyon in the Dubai Super Cup on Sunday, despite going ahead through Fabio Carvalho (£5.4m) after just 40 seconds.

The most notable part of the starting XI was the return of Joel Matip (£5.9m), who missed the final six Gameweeks prior to the World Cup break with an injury. He only lasted 45 minutes, having not played since October, but impressed and was one of the more assured players in the Reds’ backline.

“Very important, absolutely very important. Yeah, so far he did pretty much everything in training. There was one session where we got advice to rest him a little bit, but it was not from him, it was from the medical department, [so] that’s what we did. Apart from that he could do everything. Looked good today, 45 minutes was again what we were allowed to use him. That’s what we did. That’s good.” – Jurgen Klopp on Joel Matip

There were also appearances for Andrew Robertson (£6.8m), Thiago Alcantara (£5.2m) – who was excellent in the first half – and Naby Keita (£4.7m), plus attackers Mohamed Salah (£12.8m) and Roberto Firmino (£8.1m). The Egyptian provided the assist for Carvalho’s opener but later saw his penalty saved.

However, Harvey Elliott (£5.0m) was forced off with a potential injury, while an update on Luis Diaz (£7.8m) was also provided by Klopp after the match.

“Harvey got a knock before we scored, but I think we were lucky. He looks fine now but he feels it, that’s normal, there was contact. But I hope we were lucky in that moment.” – Jurgen Klopp on Harvey Elliott

“Yeah, he was not in the best possible place. It’s clear it’s a big disappointment for all of us, for him as well. It was a non-situation in training, honestly – nothing, felt something. [He] didn’t feel a lot next day but we wanted to be really cautious and said, ‘OK, come on, let’s have a look.’ Yeah, then the news came and it was a proper smash in the face. But that’s it now.” – Jurgen Klopp on Luis Diaz

Given that Diaz and Diogo Jota (£8.8m) are both longer-term absentees, plus the fact Curtis Jones (£4.9m) is with the squad but hasn’t trained much, Klopp’s options in attack are limited. He will, however, be able to call upon Darwin Nunez (£9.0m) soon, who is joining the squad ahead of Friday’s meeting with AC Milan.

“No, not yet. Darwin Nunez will join us tomorrow and the others… everybody gets a week off after the World Cup to reset mind and body. And then we play pretty quick, 22nd of December we play Man City in the [Carabao] Cup. So, that’s as tough as it gets and yeah that’s it.” – Jurgen Klopp on whether the players from the World Cup will join the squad

MANCHESTER UNITED

DEC 7: CADIZ 4-2 MANCHESTER UNITED

• Goals: Martial (pen), Mainoo
• Assists: Iqbal, Jurado
• Manchester United XI: Dubravka, Wan-Bissaka (Jurado 46), Mengi (Bernard 46), Lindelof (Fredericson 46), Williams (Murray 46), McTominay (Savage 46), Iqbal (Mainoo 46), Elanga (Emeran 46), van de Beek (Hansen-Aaroen 46), Garnacho (Shoretire 46), Martial (McNeill 46)

DEC 10: REAL BETIS 1-0 MANCHESTER UNITED

• Manchester United XI: De Gea (Heaton 45), Wan-Bissaka (Jurado 81), Mengi (Bennett 19), Lindelof, Williams (Murray 46), McTominay, Iqbal (Savage 81), Elanga (Hugill 63), Hansen-Aaroen (Mainoo 45), Garnacho (Emeran 63), Martial (Shoretire 45)

Manchester United have slipped to two successive defeats on their mid-season tour of Spain, with losses to Cadiz and Real Betis.

That won’t cause Erik ten Hag too much concern, but he will want his players to step up to another level as they prepare for their Carabao Cup tie against Burnley at Old Trafford a week on Wednesday.

United will have a few of their World Cup players back then, including Christian Eriksen (£6.3m) who is set to return to the club on Monday.

“We made progression. As you’ve seen, we were again a really young team, they [Real Betis] had an experienced team. The first half was okay, I think we had some good attacks. We were better than in the game against Cadiz, also from the intensity, so I was quite happy with that first half.

I think we had a good week, there was a good spirit. The lads worked really well, really hard. Our main objective from the week was better fitness and I think we did it, we made the progress there. Also, we integrated some young lads, integrated them in the way of play and the way of playing with intensity so they can step up. With some of them, I was quite happy, so that is a big win for the future.” – Erik ten Hag

The boss also had some encouraging words for Marcus Rashford (£6.7m), who many FPL managers are targeting for the restart after some positive displays for England during the World Cup.

“From the first moment, I recognised huge potential. And now to get out the potential, I believe when Marcus’s positioning is on the back of the defending line, there is almost no better player in the world. There is Mbappe in this moment, a type like him, but when he [Marcus] is getting in that position, he’s great and you see he’s really improved also out of possession.” – Erik ten Hag on Marcus Rashford

In both friendlies, many of United’s FA Youth Cup winning team gained experience alongside some senior players like David de Gea (£4.9m), Victor Lindelof (£4.3m), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£4.3m), Scott McTominay (£4.9m), Donny van de Beek (£5.1m) and Anthony Martial (£6.7m).

The latter was on target with a brilliant panenka penalty against Cadiz, while youngster Alejandro Garnacho (£4.3m) has also started both matches, regularly switching flanks in-game, and was United’s brightest player in Betis.

NEWCASTLE UNITED

DEC 8: AL HILAL 0-5 NEWCASTLE UNITED

• Goals: Joelinton x2, Almiron x2, Stephenson
• Assists: J Murphy, Willock, S Longstaff, Fraser
• Newcastle United XI: Karius (Gillespie 46), Manquillo (Miley 88), Lascelles (Turner-Cooke 88), Botman (Burn 61), Lewis (A Murphy 77), Shelvey (White 65), Joelinton (Anderson 56), Willock (Fraser 61), J Murphy (Almiron 46), Saint-Maximin (Stephenson 77), Wood (S Longstaff 39)

Newcastle United stepped up their preparations for the restart with a comfortable 5-0 win over Saudi Arabia champions Al Hilal last week.

Joelinton (£5.9m) and in-form winger Miguel Almiron (£5.7m) both scored twice, while youngster Dylan Stephenson also got on the scoresheet late on.

One concern for Eddie Howe was an injury to Chris Wood (£5.6m), while Joelinton also picked up a slight muscle strain which forced him off after 56 minutes.

“I think Chris [Wood] has just got a back problem. I don’t think it’s too bad. Joelinton felt a tightness in his hamstring. I don’t think it’s a pull or anything. Fingers crossed, they’re not too bad.” – Eddie Howe

Elsewhere, wingers Allan Saint-Maximin (£6.2m) and Ryan Fraser (£5.2m) were both handed minutes as they look to build up their fitness, but Alexander Isak (£6.6m) didn’t feature. He could, however, potentially play against Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.

Saint-Maximin remains the player most likely to make a difference in attack for Newcastle, but the return of Jonjo Shelvey (£4.8m) is also worth noting, given that it could have implications for Bruno Guimaraes (£5.7m).

Shelvey was deployed at the base of the midfield during Newcastle’s 5-0 win in Riyadh, impressing with his passing range. In his absence, Guimaraes has excelled as a number six, but the return of Shelvey could see the Brazilian pushed further forward as a number eight, allowing him more freedom to get forward and impact the game in the final third.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST

DEC 2: STOKE CITY 2-1 NOTTINGHAM FOREST

• Goals: Gibbs-White
• Assists: Dennis
• Nottingham Forest XI (first half): Henderson, Mbe Soh, Worrall, Boly, Toffolo, Mangala, Fewster, O’Brien, Dennis, Gibbs-White, Awoniyi
• Nottingham Forest XI (second half): Smith, Bade, Cook, McKenna, Lodi, Colback, Cafu, Yates, Osong, Surridge, Hammond

DEC 6: ATROMITOS 3-2 NOTTINGHAM FOREST

• Goals: OG, Yates
• Assists: Scarpa
• Nottingham Forest XI (first half): Henderson, Aurier, Worrall, Cook, Lodi, Colback, Yates, Scarpa, Lingard, Dennis, Awoniyi
• Nottingham Forest XI (second half): Henderson, Mbe Soh, McKenna, Boly, Toffolo, Bade, Mangala, O’Brien, Gibbs-White, Surridge, Awoniyi

DEC 10: OLYMPIACOS 1-0 NOTTINGHAM FOREST

• Nottingham Forest XI: Henderson, Aurier (Mbe Soh 90), Boly (Worrall 46), McKenna (Cook 46), Lodi (Toffolo 61), Colback (Scarpa 61), Yates, Mangala (O’Brien 46), Gibbs-White (Surridge 82), Lingard (Awoniyi 46), Johnson (Dennis 61)

Nottingham Forest have lost all three of their winter friendlies so far, going down to Olympiacos, Atromitos in a behind-closed-doors match and Stoke City.

New arrival Gustavo Scarpa got his first minutes for the club in Greece, providing an assist on his debut, yet Steve Cooper was left with mixed feelings after three defeats in a row.

Forest have one more game to play before competitive action resumes when they make the trip to Valencia on Friday.

Morgan Gibbs-White (£5.5m) really found his feet before the season paused, producing three attacking returns in the last two Gameweeks, and was central to much of the Reds’ good attacking play in Greece. He also found the back of the net against Stoke City at the beginning of the month.

Elsewhere, Cheikhou Kouyate (£4.5m) is out for an extended period after being stretchered off while playing for Senegal at the World Cup.