FPL pre-season: Nkunku injury latest, Pochettino reveals Gameweek 1 plans

Christopher Nkunku (£7.5m) played just over 20 minutes for Chelsea after picking up an injury and Nottingham Forest were thrashed in the latest round of summer friendlies.

The main Fantasy Premier League (FPL) talking points from these two matches, plus Wolverhampton Wanderers v Luton Town, are discussed below.

• READ MORE: FPL 2023/24 pre-season minutes, goals and assists tracker: Every player, every game
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CHELSEA 1-1 DORTMUND

• Goal: Burstow
• Assist: Enzo

Watch match highlights here

POCHETTINO ON NKUNKU

Christopher Nkunku went down clutching his leg in the first half of Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund and was swiftly replaced by Mykhailo Mudryk (£6.5m), with no risks taken.

Mauricio Pochettino said knee discomfort was the reason, which he discussed in his post-match interview.

“The doctors are checking him and I hope it is not a big issue. He fell in the action which was maybe a penalty and he feels something in his knee but we hope it is nothing big. We hope he can be back quickly with the team. We need a few days to assess him.” – Mauricio Pochettino on Christopher Nkunku

Nkunku, who started on the left again v Dortmund, has looked lively in pre-season, netting three goals, with many FPL bosses considering the Frenchman in light of Gabriel Jesus’ (£8.0m) injury.

However, the 25-year-old will now need to be assessed further by the Chelsea medical staff.

POCHETTINO: “THE FIFTH GAME WAS TO TEST THE TEAM THAT I WANT…”

This fixture brought an end to Chelsea’s unbeaten pre-season, with three wins and two draws from five matches.

Against Dortmund, there was a strong look to the starting XI named by Pochettino, with Reece James (£5.5m) captaining the side and playing alongside Thiago Silva (£5.0m), Levi Colwill (£4.5m) – who missed a couple of big chances from set-pieces – and Ben Chilwell (£5.5m) at the back.

Further forward, Enzo Fernandez (£5.0m) and Conor Gallagher (£5.5m) were deployed in a double pivot, with Raheem Sterling (£7.0m), Carney Chukwuemeka (£4.5m) and Nkunku used behind Nicolas Jackson (£7.0m).

And while it was Mason Burstow‘s late goal that salvaged a draw, Jackson impressed, showing some nifty hold-up play whilst racking up two shots and two key passes.

Pochettino opted against any half-time changes – an indication Gameweek 1 is nearing – and after the match, said his plan was to maybe start the team that could face Liverpool next weekend.

When asked why reserve ‘keeper Gabriel Slonina (£4.0m) didn’t get any minutes in his hometown, he said:

“Because I think the fifth game for me was to test the team that I want, is a plan in my head to play, to give 90 minutes to some players. It is only 10 days, our last game, I wanted to test Kepa for 90 minutes. I understand the question.” – Mauricio Pochettino

JAMES V CHILWELL

Reece James and Ben Chilwell started together for the first time in pre-season against Dortmund, with both full-backs advanced, sometimes at the same time.

James was steady but it was Chilwell who impressed most, combining effectively with Mudryk in the second half.

In fact, he was sometimes the Blues’ most advanced man, which was apparent during his shot sequence when he forced a save from Dortmund ‘keeper Alexander Meyer. He also took several corners during the match.

Given how open Liverpool looked down their right side v Bayern Munich on Tuesday, expect interest to pick up.

Above: Reece James (left) and Ben Chilwell’s (right) touch heatmaps v Dortmund, via SofaScore

Chelsea XI: Kepa, James (Gusto 72), Thiago Silva (Humphreys 72), Colwill, Chilwell (Cucurella 72), Enzo, Gallagher, Sterling (Hall 82), Chukwuemeka (Maatsen 72), Nkunku (Mudryk 22), Jackson (Burstow 82)

NOTT’M FOREST 0-5 RENNES

Nottingham Forest were thrashed 5-0 by Rennes in a behind-closed-doors friendly at St George’s Park, sparking concerns ahead of next week’s trip to Arsenal.

It must be said the French side are a decent outfit who finished fourth in Ligue 1 last season, but this was a disorganised and muddled display by Steve Cooper’s men, with two penalties conceded in the first half.

It wasn’t Forest’s strongest XI but there were problems all over the pitch, none more so than at right-back, where Serge Aurier (£4.5m) and his replacement Neco Williams (£4.5m) struggled.

Chris Wood (£5.0m) had the best of the Reds’ chances, firing wide from Ola Aina’s (£4.5m) cross before hitting the crossbar from Morgan Gibbs-White’s (£6.0m) corner.

It’s a trip to Frankfurt next for Forest as they look to build some confidence.

Nottingham Forest XI: Horvath, Aurier (Williams 45), Worrall (Biancone 77), McKenna (Panzo 77), Aina (Powell 60), Kouyate (Mangala 60), Freuler (Aguilera 60), Gibbs-White (Scarpa 60), Elanga (Danilo 60), Ui-Jo, Wood (Yates 60)

WOLVES 0-0 LUTON

Watch match highlights here

Wolves and Luton played out a goalless draw at Molineux, with the home side dominating possession and creating the better openings.

Julen Lopetegui’s troops started in a 4-4-2 formation, with Matt Doherty (£4.5m) at right-back and budget forwards Sasa Kalajdzic (£5.0m) and Fabio Silva (£5.5m) paired in attack. The latter two had chances but couldn’t find a decisive finish, a familiar feeling for Wolves.

Hwang Hee-Chan (£5.5m) and Pablo Sarabia (£5.0m) also went close, but it was Elijah Adebayo (£5.0m) who twice had the ball in the net for Luton, but both of his efforts were disallowed.

The visitors started three £4.0m defenders – Issa Kabore, Amari’i Bell and Mads Juel Andersen – with the latter going close with a free header from five yards.

Wolverhampton Wanderers XI: Bentley, Doherty (Semedo 74), Kilman (Dawson 68), Toti, Ait-Nouri (Bueno 68), Gomes (Hodge 74), Traore (Griffiths 82), Nunes (Sarabia 68), Silva (Cunha 68), Hwang (Neto 68), Kalajdzic (Fraser 68)

Luton Town XI: Macey, Kabore (Ogbene 68), Andersen, Lockyer, Bell (Potts 68), Giles (Doughty 68), Mpanzu (Campbell 75), Nakamba (Berry 75), Chong (McAtee 68), Adebayo (Clark 68), Morris (Woodrow 68)