The pre-match press conferences for Gameweek 4 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) are underway, with the all-important injury news starting to arrive.
Eight Premier League managers faced reporters on Thursday, with the latest key quotes and team news updates provided in the article below.
The other 12 top-flight bosses will take questions from reporters on Friday.
For these dozen clubs, check out our early team news round-up here.
GAMEWEEK 4 TEAM NEWS: KEY UPDATES FROM THURSDAY
- Everton: No surgery needed for DCL
- Sheffield United: Archer in contention to play
- West Ham United: Soucek out
- Fulham: Willian “getting better”
- Nottingham Forest: Danilo the latest concern
- Burnley: Ekdal joins Beyer on the sidelines
- Luton Town: Three still out
- Wolverhampton Wanderers: Hwang could recover
GAMEWEEK 4 TEAM NEWS: THURSDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
EVERTON
Dele Alli (hip), Jack Harrison (hip), Alex Iwobi (hamstring) and Seamus Coleman (knee) remain out for the Toffees, while Vitalii Mykolenko (knock) is unlikely to feature after limping out of the midweek cup tie against Doncaster Rovers.
There is better news on Dominic Calvert-Lewin (cheekbone) and Dwight McNeil (ankle), however, both of whom are on the cusp of a return.
“It is nothing that needs surgery but there was a minor situation on his sinus area which is delicate so he has got to be careful with it. The good news from an overall picture is he has managed to train through it, not with us because of the type of injury it is, but he has managed to keep fit. That’s good because we want to keem him going, now he’s got this far. Then as regard to the weekend it’s more of a touch-and-go situation, we see how fragile it is. No surgery or anything like that.
“Maybe [a mask], but at this stage it is more to make sure it doesn’t get knocked. It’s touch and go for the weekend and then after that, with the international break, you’d say he’s clear.” – Sean Dyche on Dominic Calvert-Lewin
“Dwight is just back on the grass with us, he’s been on the grass for a few days working but he’s back with our training group tiday. So, another one we would have to make a decision on, but he is feeling pretty strong.
“Jack is on the grass with the sport science team, but not quite training with us yet, so he’d have to get to that stage before the next steps.” – Sean Dyche
New signing Beto, fresh from a goalscoring substitute appearance on Wednesday, is in line for his Premier League debut.
“The good thing is he has played already, he has had a pre-season, he’s up for it and is ready physically. There are some slight differences in the Premier League and the way it is but he certainly made it clear he is desperate to get off involved as quick as possible.” – Sean Dyche on Beto
SHEFFIELD UNITED
£4.5m FPL forward Cameron Archer is “definitely” in contention to feature against Everton this weekend, having lasted an hour of the midweek EFL Cup tie against Lincoln City.
“We just wanted to get him the minutes, whether it was between 45-60 minutes – it was never going to be any more because of the exposure he’s had. He played minutes in the [Euro] under-21 tournament and then came back to Villa. Although he’s trained every day and had little moments, he’s not had that real planned progression in terms of 60-90 minutes. That was the important thing because it puts him in a better position now for the game on Saturday. Yeah, defintely [in contention].” – Paul Heckinbottom on Cameron Archer
Max Lowe (ankle), John Fleck (leg), Rhian Brewster (hamstring), Rhys Norrington-Davies (hamstring) and Daniel Jebbison (illness) are still out for Sheffield United.
They have been joined on the sidelines by Ben Osborn, who sustained damage to his groin in the Gameweek 3 loss to Manchester City.
Luke Thomas – priced up by FPL at £4.0m – has been signed on loan to cover for the absent Osbon and Lowe.
“Luke has come in to play, he’ll be involved at the weekend. Lowey and Ben are going to be a while.” – Paul Heckingbottom
Tom Davies is still short of match fitness and is uncertain to feature.
WEST HAM UNITED
New signing Dino Mavropanos still isn’t fit enough to feature but Nayef Aguerd returns from suspension after serving a one-game ban.
Tomas Soucek was taken off with a head injury last weekend, meanwhile, so the six-day concussion protocol will rule the Czech midfielder out.
“Tomas Soucek is not available from last week. We’re covering the protocols set by the Premier League regarding his concussion last week.” – David Moyes
FULHAM
Tim Ream and Calvin Bassey will be available at the Etihad after their recent dismissals, while Andreas Pereira shook off a Gameweek 3 knock to feature in Tuesday’s EFL Cup tie.
Willian, who has missed the last two matches in league and cup with an unspecified injury, is “getting better”.
Tom Cairney (knee) will be assessed after limping out of the midweek cup win over Tottenham Hotspur, while Sasa Lukic won’t recover in time to face Manchester City.
Marco Silva otherwise mentioned “knocks” in the quote below, one of whom is thought to be Harrison Reed.
“Willian is getting better. Saša Lukic is going to be out again. He wasn’t involved in the last game against Tottenham, he’s going to miss City – let’s see if after the international break he is going to be back again.
“Tom Cairney’s a doubt for the match, too. He came out [of the Spurs game] with a knee injury, let’s see how he’s going to be, it doesn’t look really serious but we have to assess him tomorrow.
“And we have to assess all the other players that played – some knocks, nothing really serious, but we have to assess them tomorrow to take decisions.” – Marco Silva
Joao Palhinha has trained as speculation mounts over a potential move to Bayern Munich.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Forest look set to be without Orel Mangala (unspecified), Scott McKenna (hamstring) and loanee Andrey Santos (ineligible to face his parent club) at Stamford Bridge.
Danilo is a fresh concern too, although Steve Cooper didn’t elaborate on the severity of his issue.
“Orel is out injured at the moment. Danilo, unfortunately, has picked up an injury, as well. Scott has picked up an injury, you saw him walk off against United last Saturday.” – Steve Cooper
Joe Worrall is available, having served a one-match ban in the EFL Cup, but has suffered a bereavement this week.
Felipe (knee) returned to the Nottingham Forest bench on Wednesday in a boost for Cooper’s side, while Wayne Hennessey (knee) is back in training, too.
BURNLEY
Already without Darko Churlinov (blood poisoning), Michael Obafemi (hamstring), Anass Zaroury (suspended) and Jordan Beyer (thigh), the Clarets suffered three fresh concerns in Wednesday’s cup win over Nottingham Forest.
Vitinho and Aaron Ramsey limped out of the game, while Hjalmar Ekdal (knee) was stretchered off.
Serious injury seems to have been avoided, however.
“There was a little bit of a cost to this game and I think a number of players are not going to be available for Saturday, that’s fair to say.
“The key thing is we avoided the extremely severe injuries. We feared for some of them, especially Ekdal, that it could be severe but in the end it’s just going to be a normal rehab. It rules him out for the weekend though, of course.
“Vitinho we’re still assessing as we speak, so we will see.” – Vincent Kompany
LUTON TOWN
Rob Edwards didn’t reveal any fresh concerns for the visit of West Ham United.
Daniel Potts (ankle) and Jordan Clark (ankle) are out for months, while Gabriel Osho (knee) isn’t ready to feature either.
“There shouldn’t be any changes, at the moment. Still working on one or two bits in terms of recruitment but shouldn’t be any different from the Chelsea squad.
“Not yet [on Osho returning]. Gabe is working really hard, staff are really hard as well, to get him back as quickly as possible. Not for this one, not for the next one.” – Rob Edwards
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
We’ve yet to see or hear any fresh injury updates from Gary O’Neil today but the Wolves boss had faced the media after the midweek cup win over Blackpool.
O’Neil revealed that Hwang Hee-chan (hamstring) “has a chance” of making the trip to Selhurst Park but said that Joe Hodge (hamstring) will likely miss out.
