The pre-match press conferences for Gameweek 37 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) are being held on Thursday and Friday.
We’ll be bringing you the key quotes and injury updates that you need on this ‘live’ page, so make sure to hit refresh for the latest news.
There are 14 pressers being held on Friday, while there should also be some embargoed quotes from Roberto De Zerbi released at some stage.
Five Premier League bosses faced the media during the day on Thursday, with the headline updates from those also below.
KEY UPDATES FROM FRIDAY
- Manchester United: Rashford now ill
- Arsenal: Martinelli + Zinchenko out for the season
- Liverpool: Darwin out, Firmino set for farewell
- Manchester City: Pep: “The Premier League is the most important”
- Newcastle United: Howe fears Willock’s campaign is over
- Chelsea: Badiashile joins injury list
- Brentford: Toney begins eight-month ban
- Tottenham Hotspur: “Similar to last week”
- Crystal Palace: Zaha doubtful to feature again this season
- Fulham: James partly returns to training
- Leeds United: Five out, one back in training
- West Ham United: A couple of players to be assessed
- Bournemouth: Semenyo out for the season
- Southampton: Youngsters could feature
- Brighton and Hove Albion: Still to come
KEY UPDATES FROM THURSDAY
- Everton: Calvert-Lewin expected to be fit
- Aston Villa: Coutinho out for the season
- Leicester City: Iheanacho back in training
- Nottingham Forest: Danilo “should be fine”
- Wolves: One unnamed player a doubt
FRIDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
MANCHESTER UNITED
Marcus Rashford (leg), Tom Heaton (ankle) and Scott McTominay (knock) have been back in training this week but just as Rashford was on the cusp of a return, the England international has taken ill.
“Rashy, he trained the whole week but today he reported he doesn’t feel well, so he’s ill. We have to see how he recovers during the day and then see tomorrow.” – Erik ten Hag
Lisandro Martinez (fractured metatarsal), Marcel Sabitzer (knee) and Donny van de Beek (knee) are definitely on the sidelines for the trip to Bournemouth.
ARSENAL
Mohamed Elneny (knee), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) and William Saliba (back) are still sidelined, while Mikel Arteta finally confirmed media reports that suggested that Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf) and Gabriel Martinelli (ankle) would be out for the season.
“They are both out for the rest of the season.
“Gabi’s is a pretty nasty injury. We need to assess next week how long he will be out for, but it will be weeks at least. With Alex, it’s a calf issue. He won’t be available to play in the next few games.” – Mikel Arteta
LIVERPOOL
Thiago Alcantara (hip), Calvin Ramsay (knee) and Stefan Bajcetic (thigh) are out for the season, while Darwin Nunez (toe) won’t be involved against Aston Villa this weekend.
Roberto Firmino (muscle) is available for a fond farewell after his recent return to training.
“Darwin will not be available, it’s inflammation of the tendon of the toe. Very painful, obviously. Didn’t train yet this week, so will not be available for tomorrow.
“The long-term injuries are still out but all the rest should be available. Bobby trained.” – Jurgen Klopp
MANCHESTER CITY
Not for the first time this season, Pep Guardiola wasn’t asked a question about team news – at least, not in the broadcast section of his press conference.
What we do know is that Nathan Ake (hamstring) was the only absentee for the midweek thrashing of Real Madrid.
Guardiola again reiterated the importance of the Premier League to reporters ahead of a potentially title-winning clash against Chelsea.
“On Sunday, the game is in our hands to win the most important competition – the Premier League is the most important because it’s 10/11 months, every week.
”We are lucky to have the chance to finish at home with our people and we have to take it.” – Pep Guardiola
Guardiola also made light of an angry exchange he had with Kevin De Bruyne at the Etihad on Wednesday evening.
“The interaction with Kevin, I love it. We shout at each other and I love it. I like these steps from Kevin , I like it. Sometimes in some games, it is a little bit flat, and I like this energy. You don’t see it, but how many times does he shout at me on the training ground? And this is what we need from him because after that, he became the best.” – Pep Guardiola
NEWCASTLE UNITED
The Magpies’ win over Brighton and Hove Albion came at a cost on Thursday, with Joelinton (knock) and Kieran Trippier (knock) described as “concerns” after the match.
“He’s a machine. It’s a well-used phrase in football… he will run through a brick wall for the team, the club, and I think he does every game. He succumbed to that brick wall last night! It seemed to hurt him. But we hope he’s OK. He’s been incredible for us this year.” – Eddie Howe on Joelinton
The biggest worry is Joe Willock (hamstring), however, with Eddie Howe fearing that the midfielder’s season is over.
Howe was facing the media less than 12 hours after full-time in that victory over the Seagulls, so hadn’t yet got the full medical report on his walking wounded.
“I’ll be straight to the physio room after this to see how everybody is. We’ve got a few concerns. The lads gave so much yesterday to the game. They’ve given a lot to the season, physically.
“It looks like Joe Willock may be in trouble with his hamstring. We might lose him for the season but that’s unclear as I sit here now. Fingers crossed our team will still be strong.” – Eddie Howe
Jacob Murphy (groin) and Sean Longstaff (foot) are still to yet train, while Matt Ritchie (knee), Emil Krafth (knee) and Jamaal Lascelles (calf) are out for the season.
“At this moment, being honest, it’s doubtful [that Sean Longstaff will feature]. He hasn’t trained. He’s improving, but we’ll wait and see.”
“Again, [Jacob Murphy] hasn’t trained, he’s with the physios. We’ll wait and see.” – Eddie Howe
CHELSEA
Reece James (hamstring), Kalidou Koulibaly (hamstring) and Ben Chilwell (hamstring) are not ready to return despite being spotted in training this week, while N’Golo Kante (groin), Marc Cucurella (quad), Mason Mount (pelvic) and Armando Broja (ACL) have been joined on the injury list by Benoit Badiashile (groin).
“We’re pretty much similar to where we have been recently. Mason, Reece, Chilly, N’Golo, Marc Cucurella, not fit.
“Koulibaly has been training with us this week but is probably not really ready for a game like this, he’s ahead of schedule to be fair.
“Benoit has injured himself in training two days ago, his groin, and will miss the game. We’re assessing that now, as we speak.” – Frank Lampard
Mateo Kovacic limped out of the draw with Nottingham Forest with what his manager previously said was a “bit of an issue” but there was no mention of the Croatian midfielder in Friday’s presser.
BRENTFORD
Ivan Toney won’t play again in 2023 after being slapped with an eight-month ban by the Football Association, so the striker joins Pontus Jansson (hamstring), Keane Lewis-Potter (knee) and Christian Norgaard (Achilles) on the sidelines for the trip to Spurs.
Thomas Strakosha (calf) is fit again, however.
- READ MORE: Toney banned for eight months – the full story
- READ MORE: Who are the best Ivan Toney replacements in FPL?
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Ryan Mason said the Spurs injury situation was “similar to last week”, implying that Gameweek 37 absentees Eric Dier and Japhet Tanganga were still “touch and go” without naming names.
Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), Hugo Lloris (muscle) and Rodrigo Bentancur (knee) are out for the season.
CRYSTAL PALACE
Roy Hodgson says it’s “not looking that likely” that Wilfried Zaha (hamstring) will feature again this season, while Jeffrey Schlupp won’t be available this weekend due to a personal issue.
“I’m not sure, you can never be sure, but it’s not looking that likely, I’m afraid at the moment. His injury seems to be more serious than we would have liked it to be. So I fear that he won’t be playing again this season but we can always live in hope.
“It’s a proper strain that he’s got, it doesn’t clear up normally within two weeks – it would take a longer time than that.
“For this game coming up on Saturday, and then one eight days later, it’s going to be too soon.” – Roy Hodgson on Wilfried Zaha
Luka Milivojevic (unspecified), James Tomkins (calf) and Nathan Ferguson (muscle) were the only other players on the sidelines last week and look set to remain out.
FULHAM
Fulham will be without Andreas Pereira (ankle) and Tim Ream (arm) for the rest of the season but Daniel James has made a part return to training after a minor hamstring issue that kept him out of the last two games.
“Mitrovic is always an option to start. But I have to say Vinicius has done really well, he’s been really important for us, finally we are seeing something from him.
“It’s important for a striker to have more minutes in his legs, to play week in and week out, to improve his physical condition and to improve his confidence. I’m pleased for Carlos.
“About ‘Mitro’, it’s just to get him in as best physical condition as we can. Two months without games – he was training with the team – but without games, is tough. He will be involved again [against Palace], let’s see if it’s from the start or not.” – Marco Silva
LEEDS UNITED
Liam Cooper (glute) has been back in training this week but Luis Sinisterra (ankle), Tyler Adams (hamstring) and Stuart Dallas (leg) remain out and Junior Firpo is suspended after his Gameweek 36 red card.
Marc Roca (knee) is the newest addition to the Leeds injury list.
“There’s only Dallas, Adams, Sinisterra [out]. Cooper is back in training and Roca has got a patella tendon injury. Not too bad on the injury front.” – Sam Allardyce
WEST HAM UNITED
David Moyes said that he had a couple of injuries from Thursday night’s win over AZ Alkmaar who will be assessed but, true to form, didn’t name any names.
Gianluca Scamacca (knee) was the only absentee for the victory in the Netherlands.
Having rested a number of key bodies last weekend, Moyes hinted that there may be more rotation to come against Leeds United.
“As a manager, you can field whatever side you feel is right.
“We had to make a few decisions against Brentford last week, we had [just] played the first leg in the semi-final.
“We’ve got some decisions to make this week, as well.” – David Moyes
BOURNEMOUTH
Ryan Fredericks (calf), Junior Stanislas (back), Marcus Tavernier (hamstring) and Antoine Semenyo (shin) remain out, with the latter undergoing surgery this week.
Gary O’Neil had previously expressed hope that Hamed Traore (foot) would be back before the season’s end but despite training this week, he won’t feature in Gameweek 37.
SOUTHAMPTON
With relegation to the Championship already confirmed, Rubén Sellés has said some of Southampton’s younger players may be involved against Brighton.
Rookies Dom Ballard, Kami Doyle and Sam Amo-Ameyaw have all been training with the first team this week.
“It’s going to be a little bit of everything. I will have on the pitch a team that I think can beat Brighton, also [I will consider] some of the things that the team needs to move forward and make the next step.
“Potentially yes, they (the young players) have been training with us for the past three weeks and they have been in our training for the whole season.
“As you know it was not easy to have them because it was a big squad, but some of them came with us a lot of times. Dom made his debut this season and during the week Dom Ballard, Kami and Sam Amo have been training with us and potentially they will be involved in the game.” – Ruben Selles
EVERTON
Seamus Coleman (ACL), Ben Godfrey (groin), Andros Townsend (match fitness) and Ruben Vinagre (Achilles) remain out and loanee Conor Coady can’t feature against his parent club, while Tom Davies (hamstring) and Vitalli Mykolenko (thigh) are unlikely to be fit enough to feature.
“I doubt [Mykolenko] will be right for this one. He has got a chance for the next one. It’s a risk-and-reward scenario and he hasn’t trained. So, therefore, I doubt he will make this one.
“[Davies] has had an injury as well, so we’re missing him, unlikely to figure this weekend. We will wait and see on that but it’s a hamstring tendon injury. So he’s highly unlikely to feature this weekend.” – Sean Dyche
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (groin) should be fine, however.
“Hopefully [he has avoided injury]. He’s had a few down days and it’s looking more promising. He will be with us again tomorrow for training. He has come through the last couple of days well.” – Sean Dyche on Dominic Calvert-Lewin
ASTON VILLA
Philippe Coutinho (unspecified minor injury) has joined Jed Steer (Achilles) on the sidelines for the rest of 2022/23 but Calum Chambers should be fine, despite missing training on Thursday due to illness.
“Still injured, Philippe Coutinho, and the other players are ready to play.
“We’re going to wait for the training session tomorrow morning and if everything is going well, the players available are the same players we had last week.
“Today Calum Chambers was sick but I think tomorrow he is going to be ready to try to travel with us.” – Unai Emery
LEICESTER CITY
Caglar Soyuncu (hamstring), Jannik Vestergaard (calf) and James Justin (ineligible) remain out but Kelechi Iheanacho (groin) is back in training and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (ankle) has had an injection in the hope that he too can make it back onto the grass before Monday’s game.
“Kelechi is in training today and he’ll be in full training on Saturday morning, as well. Kels has ticked all the boxes that we need to. We’ve probably had to put him on a little bit of a fast-forward button, from the boxes that the medical staff would like to tick normally, but it’s needs must at the moment.
“[Söyüncü’s] back jogging but very slowly. Still, the plan is to get him ready for the last game of the season.
“[Dewsbury-Hall] has had an injection into his ankle. It’s a little bit stiff at the moment but we’re hoping to have him training on Saturday morning. Ki is probably the biggest worry. He hasn’t trained yet.” – Dean Smith
There was no further word on Danny Ward, who missed the loss to Liverpool with a dislocated finger.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Neco Williams (jaw), Scott McKenna (collarbone), Chris Wood (thigh), Dean Henderson (thigh), Giulian Biancone (ACL) and Omar Richards (leg) remain out, while Gustavo Scarpa has had a setback in his recovery from a calf problem.
Emmanuel Dennis (knock) is back in training, however, and Danilo (knock) “should be fine”.
“Dennis is back in full training and has looked good, so that’s good.
“Scarpa, not so fortunate, he has picked up a little bit of a recurrence with his calf, so he’s not been with us the last few days.
“[Danilo] seems OK. He’s been in training. It was more about after the Brentford game, really, but he managed to get through most of the Chelsea game and should be fine for selection, yeah.” – Steve Cooper
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Chiquinho (knee) and Sasa Kalajdzic (knee) remain on the absentee list, while Julen Lopetegui said on Thursday that one unnamed player was a doubt for the visit of Everton.
