The remaining pre-Gameweek 1 manager press conferences take place today – and we’ve got the key Fantasy Premier League (FPL) team news updates here.
For the headlines from Thursday’s eight pressers, read our previous round-up here.
KEY TEAM NEWS UPDATES FROM FRIDAY
- Liverpool: No injury updates from Klopp
- Chelsea: Kepa “ahead of” Sanchez
- Arsenal: Jesus and Elneny out, everyone else fine
- Manchester United: Hojlund prognosis “difficult”
- Tottenham Hotspur: Kane exit, Richarlison fit
- Brentford: Mbeumo recovers from dead leg
- Brighton and Hove Albion: Webster and Lallana to be assessed
- Newcastle United: Schar fit, Willock injured
- Crystal Palace: Olise out for a long period
- West Ham United: Alvarez short of match fitness
- Bournemouth: Scott out for “months”
- Wolverhampton Wanderers: O’Neil hopeful on Cunha
FRIDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
LIVERPOOL
The broadcast section of Jurgen Klopp’s pre-match presser was frustratingly short on injury news or starting XI hints, with many of the reporter questions focusing on transfers and the new IFAB rules.
We’re not aware of any issues for the Reds, with even long-term absentees Thiago Alcantara (hip) and Stefan Bajcetic (thigh) now back in full training.
Klopp meanwhile downplayed the potential impact of the extra added time we are likely to see.
“In the end, if we can get to 55 to 60 minutes ball in play, we will see, that doesn’t sound too difficult, I have to say.
“When I speak about player welfare, I speak about in general we have too many competitions, we have too many games in general now. But having three or four minutes a game more ball in play, I can’t see it now it will make a massive difference. We will see.” – Jurgen Klopp
CHELSEA
As was the case with Klopp, there were no team news questions asked of Mauricio Pochettino in his Friday press conference.
We do know that Christopher Nkunku will be out for some time after knee surgery, while Armando Broja (knee), Wesley Fofana (knee), Marcus Bettinelli (unknown) and Benoit Badiashile (hamstring) are all sidelined after failing to feature in the pre-season friendlies. Fofana, indeed, might be out for the season.
Noni Madueke (hamstring) is another squad member who didn’t kick a ball in the warm-up games but he has been back in training this week, so could be in contention for Gameweek 1.
The Chelsea boss did give us a line on the goalkeeper situation, at least, heavily implying that Kepa Arrizabalaga would start the season between the posts.
“At the moment, Kepa is a little bit ahead but after a bit of time, we’ll see if Robert is there and can challenge Kepa.” – Mauricio Pochettino
ARSENAL
Gabriel Jesus (knee) and Mohamed Elneny (knee) are the only Arsenal players definitely ruled out of the curtain-raiser against Nottingham Forest.
Mikel Arteta gave us an uncharacteristically clear-cut update in Friday’s presser.
“I think everybody is going to be available. We have Mo still out, Gabriel Jesus with a knee injury. The rest should be fine.” – Mikel Arteta
Arteta’s comments imply that Reiss Nelson (foot), Folarin Balogun (foot) and Jorginho (muscle) are all fine after minor issues.
Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf) has also been back in training, after missing the entire pre-season programme. He played 11 minutes of a charity match last Saturday.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Erik ten Hag wasn’t able to give us an exact timeline on Rasmus Hojlund (back), who will likely have to wait a few “weeks” for his Manchester United debut because of an issue he picked up while at Atalanta.
“As we said previously, he had a small issue and he is not on the [same] levels our players are at in this moment. So now we have to train him. The prognosis is difficult to say. We are confident and we are positive.” – Erik ten Hag on Rasmus Hojlund
Dean Henderson (thigh), Tom Heaton (calf), Kobbie Mainoo (ankle), Amad Diallo (knee) and Tyrell Malacia (unknown) will also definitely miss the curtain-raiser against Wolves.
“Malacia’s will take some time, the same as Amad and Kobbie, they are really impact injuries. All the others, like Henderson and Hojlund, are quite short but it will take a few weeks.” – Erik ten Hag
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Ange Postecoglou’s presser was dominated by talk of Harry Kane, who is set to leave Spurs for Bayern Munich.
As far as team news goes, Richarlison has been passed fit after a recent knock.
New centre-half Micky van der Ven is also available for selection but Postecoglou admitted that he was “not quite at the level” in terms of match fitness.
BRENTFORD
Bryan Mbeumo has recovered from the dead leg he suffered in Brentford’s clash with Lille last weekend, with Thomas Frank confirming he will start against Spurs on Sunday.
The Brentford boss also gave the all-clear on Rico Henry and Josh Dasilva after their precautionary omissions in the Bees’ final pre-season friendly. Again, Frank confirmed that Henry would start.
Christian Norgaard is available to play, too, after missing Brentford’s pre-season tour in the US due to personal reasons.
Frank Onyeka (knock) will be assessed tomorrow.
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
Roberto De Zerbi told reporters that Adam Webster and Adam Lallana will be “analysed” over their availability, with the Brighton boss unwilling to take any risks on the former.
Everyone else is fit, according to the Seagulls’ head coach.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Eddie Howe expects to have Fabian Schar available for Gameweek 1, despite his absence in last weekend’s double-header of friendlies.
“As we currently stand, yes he will be [fit]. He’s trained this week, he’s trained well. He was back with us Tuesday, so he’s had a full week’s training.” – Eddie Howe on Fabian Schar
Javier Manquillo (groin), Joe Willock (hamstring) and Emil Krafth (knee) are all out, however, with Willock not likely to be seen before Gameweek 5.
“Joe has worked hard through the summer. He’s had a really bad hamstring injury. He missed the back-end of last season and through pre-season he was working back. He just felt a little bit of discomfort in his hamstring, not necessarily another pull, so we’ve had to lock him down again and he’s in the process again of building himself back up. We’ll probably miss him for the first group of games before the international break.” – Eddie Howe on Joe Willock
Newcastle’s starting XI looks like being one of the trickiest to predict in Gameweek 1, with even Howe admitting he has some deliberating to do.
“I’ve genuinely got five or six decisions to make that aren’t clear or easy.” – Eddie Howe
CRYSTAL PALACE
Will Hughes (knock), Matheus Franca (unspecified) and Michael Olise (hamstring) will all miss the trip to Sheffield United, with the latter out for “a considerable period” of time.
Roy Hodgson hasn’t brought us any update on Cheick Doucoure, who appeared to limp from the field of play in Saturday’s win over Lyon.
Tyrick Mitchell (quad) is fine, however.
WEST HAM UNITED
New signing Edson Alvarez will not be available on Saturday, the Mexican midfielder having not trained at all since the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
David Moyes also confirmed that an offer for Lucas Paqueta had been made by Manchester City but it falls someway short of the Hammers’ valuation.
BOURNEMOUTH
Andoni Iraola confirmed on Friday that Adam Smith (muscle), Ryan Fredericks (calf), Marcus Tavernier (unspecified) and Lloyd Kelly (unspecified) will all miss Gameweek 1.
Antoine Semenyo (shin) has similarly been out all summer but is at least back in training. Alex Scott, only signed on Thursday, won’t be involved for “the first couple of months” of 2023/24.
The omissions of Dominic Solanke and Ryan Christie last weekend were said to be “small issues” and only precautionary in nature but Iraola hinted that final checks were still required on a number of unnamed players.
“For sure, the ones that have been injured last games in pre-season, talking about Adam Smith, Lloyd Kelly, Tav (Marcus Tavernier), Ryan Fredericks, Alex Scott, if you can include him.
“And then we have some cases that we are going to wait until today’s training to take the decision, but we have some players that we are not sure if we could put them in tomorrow’s game.” – Andoni Iraola
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
New Wolves boss Gary O’Neil revealed that Matheus Cunha has missed a couple of days of training this week but should be OK for Monday’s trip to Old Trafford.
Everyone else is fit.
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