Double Gameweek 20 is just around the corner and the pre-match press conferences have begun to take place on Thursday.
As usual, we’ll be bringing you all the key quotes that you need for your Fantasy Premier League (FPL) teams over the coming 24 hours.
Five Premier League bosses took questions today, while Graham Potter will face the media after Chelsea’s evening match against Fulham; the Gameweek 20 section of that presser will be embargoed until the following day.
A total of 14 other managers will face reporters on Friday, one of whom will be Jurgen Klopp: rumours are circulating on Thursday about a possible injury to Darwin Nunez, who wasn’t spotted in recent training ground images, so the Liverpool boss will hopefully bring us up to speed on that.
“Liverpool are not specifying the nature of the injury at this stage, but insist it is only ‘minor’ and have not ruled the 23-year-old out yet.” – The Daily Telegraph on Darwin’s injury
“The Uruguay striker has been absent for a number of days with an unspecified issue and, while the indications are that the problem is not overly serious, his participation at the Amex Stadium on Saturday is in jeopardy.” – The Times on Darwin’s injury
KEY UPDATES FROM THURSDAY
- Leicester City: Maddison still sidelined
- Leeds United: Summerville out for a month
- Aston Villa: McGinn injured, Cash a doubt
- Nottingham Forest: Boly a new concern
- Southampton: Four still out, two could return
LEICESTER CITY
James Maddison (knee) and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (glute) remain sidelined alongside Boubakary Soumare (hamstring), James Justin (Achilles), Ryan Bertrand (knee), Ricardo Pereira (Achilles) and Jonny Evans (calf), while Ayoze Perez (knock) will have to be assessed after he picked up an injury in the midweek cup defeat to Newcastle United.
Dennis Praet (rib/hip/abdomen) is back in training, at least, and could return.
“[Maddison] is progressing well but he won’t be available for the game. No [timeframe]. Still with the medical team.
“[Dewsbury-Hall] is not back yet. He won’t be training tomorrow, so it’ll be sometime next week.
“[Praet] is back in training with the squad and that was his first day this morning, so he looked fine. We’ll see how he is later after the session and how he feels, but it’s good to have him back.
“Ayoze, we’ll just have to keep an eye on after game the other night, so we’ll see where he’s at tomorrow.” – Brendan Rodgers
LEEDS UNITED
Stuart Dallas (knee), Archie Gray (ankle) and Luis Sinisterra (foot) are still unavailable and Crysencio Summerville has now joined them on the sidelines, with an ankle problem set to keep him out for a month.
Patrick Bamford (hip/groin) is available again, however, while Adam Forshaw (hip) was anticipated to be back in training this week after a minor procedure in the New Year.
“Patrick is back in training and will be in the squad, so that’s really good news. Luis is getting closer and closer but not quite ready, and then Stuart and Archie. The only other update is that Cry Summerville is out for a month, probably.
“We’re a little disappointed that Cry will be out. He’s hopeful that it will be quicker than a month but that’s what the prognosis is right now.” – Jesse Marsch
ASTON VILLA
Diego Carlos (Achilles) will remain out for another month or two, while this game will also come too soon for John McGinn as he battles his way back from a hamstring injury.
Matty Cash is a fresh doubt with a knock picked up in the ‘cupset’ against Stevenage, while Leander Dendoncker is suspended following his red card in that match.
There was no word on Ludwig Augustinsson, who was taken off in that cup tie, although he now looks surplus to requirements anyway following the arrival of left-back Alex Moreno.
“McGinn is out. Diego Carlos is getting better but it will be a month or two before he is with us. Jed Steer is starting to train with us in one or two weeks.
“Cash is a doubt for tomorrow, and Álex Moreno, his transfer is coming today, we’re waiting for it. Maybe he will be in the squad. Dendoncker is also suspended after his red card on Sunday.” – Unai Emery
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Nottingham Forest were in action barely 12 hours before Steve Cooper delivered his pre-Gameweek 20 press conference, so the latest updates from the Forest boss were far from concrete.
Willy Boly (ankle) limped out of the cup win over Wolverhampton Wanderers after initially hopping off a stretcher to rejoin the action, while Taiwo Awoniyi (muscle fatigue) and Neco Williams (facial injury) missed the game altogether.
Cooper had previously said he was hopeful of having Awoniyi back for this one.
“We’ve got an injury record that we’re not particularly fond of at the moment, and that may have been added to last night. We haven’t assessed the players yet, because they are in a little bit later, so there’s no news of absolute guarantees of player availability from last night.
“Fingers crossed on a couple of things. The last thing we want is more numbers on that list than what we already have.” – Steve Cooper
Omar Richards (leg), Giulian Biancone (ACL), Moussa Niakhate (hamstring), Cheikhou Kouyate (hamstring), and Jesse Lingard (hamstring) remain out.
SOUTHAMPTON
Stuart Armstrong (groin), Armel Bella-Kotchap (knee), Juan Larios (muscle) and Tino Livramento (knee) are still absent but Alex McCarthy (ankle) and Theo Walcott (calf) could return this weekend.
New signing Charly Alcaraz may also feature.
“Alex and Theo are much closer, so we’ve got a big decision to make with those. Armel is a timescale of 7-10 days, and we won’t rush him because of the trickiness, not the gravity, but the trickiness of the injury. And it’s the same with one or two others who are out.
“Stu had a problem with his groin that we have to get to the bottom of. He’s been playing with pain so it was the right decision to take him out, one for his own psyche and two, for the fact he wasn’t contributing what we would like for us.
“[Alcaraz] should be [available]. We’re just waiting on visas and stuff like that, but hopefully he is.”- Nathan Jones
