We’ve got all the big Fantasy Premier League (FPL) injury news from Friday’s pre-match press conferences in this ‘live’ article.
A total of nine Premier League managers will face the media today but there could also be embargoed quotes from six other pressers released.
Five managers faced the media on Wednesday and Thursday, with the notable information here.
KEY UPDATES FROM FRIDAY’S PRESSERS
- Fulham: Mitrovic “ready to start” – but not fully fit
- Newcastle United: Wilson trains, is “better”
- Manchester City: Alvarez still unavailable
- Tottenham Hotspur: Romero back, Bentancur out
- Manchester United: No team news from ten Hag
- Everton: Mina a doubt, DCL returns
- Aston Villa: Martinez expected back
- Leeds United: Bamford not yet in training
- Brighton and Hove Albion: Welbeck and Webster still out
- Wolverhampton Wanderers: Jonny and B Traore return, Podence fine
- Bournemouth: Cherries “as you were”
FRIDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
Gameweek 18 press conference schedule
| Straight after GW17 (GW18 section embargoed till later) | Wednesday 28 December | Thursday 29 December | Friday 30 December |
| Vieira Emery Jones Potter ten Hag Marsch | Rodgers | Cooper Klopp Frank Moyes | Howe Lampard Guardiola Lopetegui O’Neil De Zerbi Silva Conte Arteta |
FULHAM
Not content with toying with FPL managers’ emotions ahead of Gameweek 17, Marco Silva was at it again this afternoon when asked about Aleksandar Mitrovic’s fitness.
Silva at least this time said that Mitrovic was “ready”, before going on to qualify that by saying the Serbian striker was not fully fit.
“He will be ready to start. Last Friday was the first day he trained with the team and of course we had doubts whether he could play or not (against Palace).
“I’m not saying that he’s 100% fit from his foot problem but of course he is getting better with more sessions and the game we played last week, he did fantastic.
“He’s really important for us and it’s a good sign for us that he is working more with the team and is more involved with us now.
“Even if he is not 100%, he will be in a condition to start the game. We are not taking a risk. Mitro is saying the same, that he is not fully fit. Of course, when you’re not training every single day, you are not in your best physical condition.
“The situation after the match is that instead of one day, he needs more time to recover from the game. All those situations, we have to manage.
“It’s something where he’s not training properly every single day to be in his best physical condition but I hope in the next few weeks it becomes a bit more normal for him to be every single day with me.” – Marco Silva on Aleksandar Mitrovic
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Eddie Howe was positive-sounding when asked about Callum Wilson‘s availability after illness, although the Newcastle boss did stop short of declaring him available for selection.
“Callum’s improved, he trained with us yesterday, so he’s in a better place.
“We’ll see how he gets through today [before deciding if he makes the squad].” – Eddie Howe
Emil Krafth (knee), Alexander Isak (thigh) and Jonjo Shelvey (calf) remain out, while Howe also reported a few “niggles within the squad” after the win over Leicester City.
MANCHESTER CITY
There was little team news in the broadcast section of Pep Guardiola’s pre-match presser, save for confirmation from the City boss that Julian Alvarez wouldn’t return to first-team contention until the New Year.
Ruben Dias is expected to remain out with a hamstring injury, meanwhile.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Cristian Romero returns from international duty with Argentina to bolster Spurs’ numbers at the back but Rodrigo Bentancur, while free of suspension, requires an MRI scan on a groin injury and remains out.
Richarlison (hamstring) is also still sidelined.
MANCHESTER UNITED
The first part of Erik ten Hag’s embargoed press conference contained very little in the way of team news, so there’s every chance we get more of an update when the second section drops tonight 10.30pm GMT – after the FPL deadline, naturally.
Aside from Diogo Dalot (hamstring) and Jadon Sancho (match fitness), neither of whom we have any fresh news on, the absentees against Forest were Scott McTominay (ill), Victor Lindelof (ill) and Lisandro Martinez (post-World Cup rest).
Martinez returned to first-team training at Carrington the following day, however, so could be available.
EVERTON
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (knee/shoulder/hamstring) is back in training and available for selection, while Conor Coady also returns to the squad after being ineligible to face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Boxing Day.
“He’s in the squad. We’ll see (whether he starts)” – Frank Lampard on Dominic Calvert-Lewin
James Garner (back) and Andros Townsend (knee) will definitely miss Gameweek 18, while Yerry Mina will have a “low-level” hamstring injury assessed after he came off against Wolves.
Frank Lampard also reported that a few payers were “slightly unwell” in Friday’s presser, although didn’t name names.
ASTON VILLA
Diego Carlos (Achilles) and Jacob Ramsey (hamstring) are still sidelined but Emiliano Martinez is expected to return to the starting XI after his post-World Cup breather, having resumed training this week.
“Olsen was very good and I am so happy with him. Emiliano coming back, he will have to try and adapt again to the new way with us. Many congratulations to him but we are here thinking one step ahead about our club, Villa. Of course, he needs to adapt so quickly again.
“He is going to be available physically, and his mentality we are going to check. Hopefully, he will be coming 100% focused for Villa. We have to try and use him again to try and be positive – using his energy and mentality to help us.” – Unai Emery on Emi Martinez
Unai Emery’s pre-match presser, filmed straight after the Liverpool game, was otherwise predictably short on team news.
LEEDS UNITED
Archie Gray (ankle), Stuart Dallas (knee) and Luis Sinisterra (foot) are still injured, while Patrick Bamford (match fitness) won’t return to training until after Gameweek 18.
“Probably not in training until next week, hopefully Sunday-Monday.” – Jesse Marsch on Patrick Bamford
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
Jakub Moder (knee) remains on the injury list, while Adam Webster and Danny Welbeck (both muscle) are still some days away from a playing comeback.
Alexis Mac Allister remains on post-World Cup leave, while Moises Caicedo misses out through suspension.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
There was positive news from Julen Lopetegui’s pre-match press conference is all good, with Boubacar Traore and Jonny both available again and Daniel Podence declared fit after coming off injured on Boxing Day.
Pedro Neto (ankle), Sasa Kalajdzic (knee) and Chiquinho (knee) remain on the long-term injury list
BOURNEMOUTH
The virus sweeping around the Cherries has affected manager Gary O’Neil, with assistant Tommy Elphick taking Friday’s presser.
Elphick said the injury news was “as we were” from the Chelsea game, with a few late calls to be made.
