There is, or should be, a full complement of pre-match press conferences to get through before Saturday’s 11:00 GMT deadline.
As usual, we’ll be bringing you all the key quotes that you need for your Fantasy Premier League (FPL) teams.
A total of 17 Premier League managers will face the media on Friday, following on from the two (Javi Gracia and Brendan Rodgers) we had on Thursday.
Erik ten Hag was also scheduled to hold a press conference on Thursday but the presser was embargoed until lunchtime today.
KEY UPDATES
- Brighton and Hove Albion: March + Estupinan “able to play”
- Arsenal: Nketiah faces test, Jesus “not far” away
- Chelsea: James a doubt
- Leicester City: Maddison “should” be fine
- Manchester United: Shaw + Sancho expected back
- Manchester City: Stones + Laporte could feature
- Tottenham Hotspur: Emerson Royal fit
- Liverpool: Gomez, Diaz + Thiago still out
- Newcastle United: Bruno fit, Pope available
- Crystal Palace: Zaha back in the squad
- Wolverhampton Wanderers: Bueno out for 3-4 weeks
- West Ham United: Fabianski latest
- Brentford: Jansson + Onyeka return
- Aston Villa: Carlos not fit enough to play
- Fulham: Palhinha banned
- Everton: Dyche on DCL: “We’ll see”
- Leeds United: Gracia cagey on injuries again
- Nottingham Forest: Lodi to be assessed
- Southampton: Only Livramento out
- Bournemouth: Cook returns
VIDEO ROUND-UP
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
Roberto De Zerbi brought us positive news in his pre-match press conference on Friday, saying that Pervis Estupinan (muscle) and Solly March (minor issue) are “able to play” this weekend.
Levi Colwill (muscle) and Billy Gilmour (knock) have also been back in training this week but Adam Lallana (muscle) and Jakub Moder (knee) remain out.
ARSENAL
Jorginho (illness) has been passed fit but Eddie Nketiah faces a late test after limping from the field of play on Wednesday night.
“We are assessing him. It is a bit uncertain what is going to happen with him, to be honest, in the training session. Let’s see, let’s keep the options open. He’s very positive about it. Hopefully, he will be fine.” – Mikel Arteta on Eddie Nketiah
Mikel Arteta also offered another positive-sounding update on Gabriel Jesus (knee), although he’s not expected back in Gameweek 26.
“He’s not far now. I don’t want to give a timeline but he’s doing certain things with the team, certain things outside the team. He’s not very close but he is not far at all.” – Mikel Arteta on Gabriel Jesus
Mohamed Elneny (knee) remains out long-term.
CHELSEA
Chelsea’s injury crisis drags on, with Reece James and Mason Mount the latest casualties.
James is a doubt for the visit of Leeds United with a hamstring injury, while Mount is ruled out with an abdominal issue.
“Mason’s had a problem with his lower abdomen area, the pubic bone, so he’ll miss the game tomorrow. We don’t think it will be too long but tomorrow will be too soon.
“Reece has got a tightness in his hamstring, we’re just assessing him, but he’s doubtful for tomorrow as well.” – Graham Potter
Thiago Silva became another addition to the Chelsea injury list after damaging knee ligaments last weekend, with the veteran stopper now sidelined until April.
Armando Broja (ACL), Edouard Mendy (finger) and Cesar Azpilicueta (head) remain unavailable, while Christian Pulisic (knee) and N’Golo Kante (hamstring) aren’t ready to feature despite returns to training.
Mateo Kovacic (illness) has been back on the grass and could come into contention, however.
“Thiago will be around that time, I’m not sure when it will be exactly.
“Mendy’s making progress but he’s not yet joined full training with the group.
“N’Golo had his first full training session today but obviously still needs time.
“Azpi’s made progress, but he’s still not through the protocols we need to do after a head injury like that.” – Graham Potter
LEICESTER CITY
James Maddison “should” be fine to face Southampton this weekend, having missed last weekend’s visit of Arsenal due to illness.
The midfielder has also been nursing an ongoing knee niggle, which has impacted on his training time, but he had been passed fit for Gameweek 25 before illness struck.
“James should be fine. Fingers crossed he gets through the rest of the week okay. He’s obviously a very important player for us. It’s about the team. Obviously, James gives another dimension to the team. His importance is clear to see but ultimately it’s a team effort.” – Brendan Rodgers
Youri Tielemans (ankle) has joined James Justin (Achilles) and Sammy Braybrooke (knee) on the injury list, while Ryan Bertrand (knee) and Jonny Evans (thigh) may still both be short of match fitness.
“There’s no new injury concerns. Some of the guys who got through the game the other night are all good. [Ricardo] had no after-effects. It was great for him to get the game-time. It’s good to have him back on the training field and we’ll see what game-time he gets.” – Brendan Rodgers
MANCHESTER UNITED
Christian Eriksen (ankle) and Donny van de Beek (knee) remain on the sidelines, while the Liverpool game may come too soon for Anthony Martial (hip).
Jadon Sancho (illness) and Luke Shaw (minor injury) missed the midweek cup win over West Ham but should recover.
“I think we will have players back.
“[On Wednesday] Luke Shaw was not available, so we expect him back.
“Sancho was ill, but we will have to wait and see how that develops but I think [he could be available] as well.” – Erik ten Hag
MANCHESTER CITY
John Stones (hamstring), Aymeric Laporte (illness) and back-up goalkeeper Stefan Ortega (hand) could all be fit for the visit of Newcastle, which would leave City with a clean bill of health.
“They have already trained, these days. They feel better – much better.” – Pep Guardiola on his injured/ill trio
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), Rodrigo Bentancur (knee), Hugo Lloris (knee) and Yves Bissouma (ankle) all remain on the medium-to-long-term injury list but Emerson Royal has been passed fit for the trip to Molineux.
“We don’t have team news, everything is fine like the last game. We are ready to play the next match with the same squad.” – Cristian Stellini
LIVERPOOL
Calvin Ramsay (knee), Thiago Alcantara (hip) and Luis Diaz (knee) remain sidelined, while this Sunday’s game comes just too soon for Joe Gomez (muscle).
“We had little [knocks] – should be [the same]. The last message I got, it’s now early and I didn’t see them this morning – a lot of things can happen overnight – but yesterday evening they were all fine apart from the players who are out; Thiago and Luis Diaz.
“Joe obviously I think is closer, but not close enough.” – Jurgen Klopp
There was no word on Naby Keita, who sat out the midweek win over Wolves with a knock, or Arthur Melo, who built up his match fitness with a 90-minute run-out for the under-21s last weekend.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Bruno Guimaraes has been passed fit, despite limping out of the EFL Cup final last weekend with an ankle injury.
“Bruno is fine, he was in a bit of short-term pain but nothing that has impacted his training.
“No [new injuries], not off the top of my head.” – Eddie Howe
Nick Pope is also available again after a ban, having been suspended for the trip to Wembley.
Emil Krafth (knee) is the only Newcastle player who remains on the sidelines.
CRYSTAL PALACE
Sam Johnstone (calf) remains out and the injury-free Nathan Ferguson will continue to build match fitness with the under-21s but Patrick Vieira confirmed that Wilfried Zaha (hamstring) is back this weekend, having trained for the last fortnight without any setbacks.
“We have a full squad. Wilfried trained the last two weeks with the team and this week he didn’t miss any training, so he will be in the squad tomorrow.” – Patrick Vieira
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Hugo Bueno (hamstring) has joined Chiquinho (knee) and Sasa Kalajdzic (knee) on the injury list, with the budget defender set for 3-4 weeks on the sidelines.
The visit of Spurs comes too soon for Hwang Hee-chan (hamstring) and Boubacar Traore (groin) but Matheus Cunha, stretchered off last weekend, has made a swift recovery and should be available.
WEST HAM UNITED
David Moyes said in Friday’s presser that he was hoping to get Kurt Zouma (hip) and Maxwel Cornet (calf) “closer to the first team”, following the pair’s recent returns to training.
There was no further word on Lukasz Fabianski (eye) and Vladimir Coufal (heel) but Moyes did say in midweek that the Hammers think Fabianski has “fractured his cheekbone and eye socket”, so a long spell on the sidelines likely awaits.
BRENTFORD
Pontus Jansson (hamstring) and Frank Onyeka (hamstring) are both now fit and available, leaving Brentford with no real injury concerns ahead of Monday’s clash with Fulham.
ASTON VILLA
Diego Carlos (Achilles) has been back in training following his lengthy lay-off but lacks match fitness and won’t feature against Crystal Palace, while Philippe Coutinho is now out for a month because of a hamstring injury.
Leander Dendoncker also failed to train today and will miss out in Gameweek 26.
FULHAM
Layvin Kurzawa (knee) has joined Tom Cairney (shin) and Neeskens Kebano (Achilles) on the sidelines, while Joao Palhinha begins a two-match ban after becoming the first Premier League player to reach 10 bookings in 2022/23.
Aleksandar Mitrovic returned from injury in Tuesday’s cup win over Leeds United.
EVERTON
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (hamstring) is in touch-and-go territory, with Sean Dyche offering little of note in his pre-match presser.
“Dominic Calvert-Lewin is recovering and getting strong. We’ll see [for Sunday].” – Sean Dyche
Nathan Patterson and James Garner continued to work their way back from injury after getting minutes with the under-21s on Thursday.
“Patto is a little bit behind but he played 70 minutes last night. Jimmy [Garner] is a little bit closer.” – Sean Dyche
LEEDS UNITED
We’re going to have to get used to a shortage of Leeds team news, as new boss Javi Gracia once again batted away a question about the current injury situation at the club.
“I know you are really concerned about injured players but don’t worry they are in the best hands to recover as soon as possible. I don’t like to speak about players because I don’t want to give information about players. To be honest, some of them, today, I don’t know with surety if they are going to be ready or not. The main reason is not only that, I don’t want to speak about injured players.” – Javi Gracia
Rodrigo Moreno (ankle), Adam Forshaw (hip), Stuart Dallas (knee) and Luis Sinisterra (muscle) have all been out of late, while Pascal Struijk was expected back two weeks ago after observing the concussion protocol but complained of “fogginess” in a training session and hasn’t been seen since.
Liam Cooper and Max Wober were also absent from the matchday squad in the midweek cup tie against Fulham; it could be that Wober was rested as a precaution in order to prevent an aggravation of a shoulder injury that rendered him a doubt for Gameweek 25.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Willy Boly (hamstring), Scott McKenna (hamstring), Dean Henderson (thigh), Cheikhou Kouyate (hamstring), Taiwo Awoniyi (groin), Giulian Biancone (ACL) and Omar Richards (leg) remain out, while Moussa Niakhate (hamstring) will also need more fitness-building time before being considered for a Premier League return.
Renan Lodi will also need to be assessed after picking up a knock last weekend.
Ryan Yates (illness) ought to be back in contention after a recent return to training, while Serge Aurier (calf) could make a swift return.
SOUTHAMPTON
Ruben Selles confirmed that Che Adams is back in contention for the game against Leicester, while Juan Larios will play for the B team tonight as he works on his match fitness following a muscle injury.
Everyone else in the Southampton squad, apart from Tino Livramento (knee), is back fit.
BOURNEMOUTH
Lewis Cook (knee) rejoins the matchday squad this weekend but Illia Zabarnyi (ankle) and Marcus Tavernier (hamstring) remain out despite nearing a return.
David Brooks (hamstring) and Lloyd Kelly (calf) are also sidelined, while Matias Vina (knee) and Junior Stanislas (knock) missed out with seemingly minor issues last weekend.
