The remaining pre-Gameweek 4 manager press conferences take place today – and we’ve got the key Fantasy Premier League (FPL) team news here.
This is a ‘live’ article and will be updated as and when the pressers are staged on Friday. Make sure to hit refresh for the injury updates.
There are 12 press conferences in all, including the managers of all the ‘big six’ clubs.
For the headlines from yesterday’s eight media gatherings, read our previous round-up here.
GAMEWEEK 4 TEAM NEWS: INJURY UPDATES FROM FRIDAY
- Manchester City: Foden fit, Akanji and Stones “more or less” recovered
- Manchester United: Hojlund available
- Liverpool: Van Dijk and Konate out
- Newcastle United: Botman and Joelinton doubts
- Chelsea: Nine still out, Mudryk back in training
- Tottenham Hotspur: Richarlison passed fit
- Brighton and Hove Albion: Welbeck joins Enciso on the sidelines
- Arsenal: No team news updates from Arteta
- Crystal Palace: Johnstone to start
- Aston Villa: Martinez remains a doubt
- Brentford: Damsgaard out, Mee fit
- Bournemouth: Smith and Tavernier training lightly
FRIDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
MANCHESTER CITY
Phil Foden has recovered from the gastric illness that limited his involvement against Sheffield United last weekend.
John Stones (hamstring) and Manuel Akanji (unspecified) are nearing a return to fitness, too, with Juanma Lillo saying on Friday that the defenders are “more or less there”.
“Right now, Phil is completely recovered from his illness. Manu’s problem was more prevention. He’s more or less there. John is more or less there as well. We’re okay, we’re fine.” – Juanma Lillo
Kevin De Bruyne (hamstring) remains sidelined for Pep Guardiola’s side.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Raphael Varane (unspecified), Mason Mount (muscle), Luke Shaw (muscle), Tom Heaton (calf), Kobbie Mainoo (ankle), Amad Diallo (knee) and Tyrell Malacia (knee) are all on the sidelines for Sunday’s game.
Rasmus Hojlund (back), however, is set for his debut.
“Yes [he’s available]. He had a good training week, tomorrow we have a final training. He’s doing well, he’s responding well. So, yeah, he will be available for Sunday’s game.
“I think he can… he’s ready to start.” – Erik ten Hag on Rasmus Hojlund
LIVERPOOL
Liverpool have been handed an injury boost after Curtis Jones (ankle) returned to full training on Wednesday.
The Reds are short at centre-half, however, with Virgil van Dijk suspended and Ibrahima Konate out with a muscle issue.
Thiago Alcantara was expected back in training this week but has had a setback and won’t be available until after the September international break.
Everyone else, according to Jurgen Klopp, is fit.
“No, Ibou wil not be ready for the game.
“Curtis is back in training fully, Thiago not. Thiago had a little setback, started training with the team, had a little setback, so we have to slow down there a little bit. It’s not cool for him, it’s not cool for us. Thiago will use the international break for that, to get up to speed. I’m pretty sure, that should hopefully be enough.” – Jurgen Klopp
Klopp once again issued a ‘hands off’ warning to potential suitors of Mohamed Salah, meanwhile.
“The position remains the same, absolutely, no doubt about that. He cannot [be sold]. Nothing else to say. [No offer] as far as I know.” – Jurgen Klopp on Mohamed Salah
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Eddie Howe sent out mixed messages on Sven Botman (ankle) and Joelinton (knee).
While revealing that the pair had done some “light jogging” this week and that late calls would be made on them both, Howe went on to say that Botman only had a “small chance” of making the trip to Brighton and Hove Albion.
“[Botman] has had a scan on the ankle. The scan didn’t appear too good, so there’s definitely an injury there, but it actually doesn’t present too bad. It’s very bruised, a little bit swollen, so he’s been very lightly jogging this week.
“We’re going to see how he is today and make a decision for this weekend. There’s a small chance.
“Again, [Joelinton] is another player that we’re going to make a late decision. He hasn’t trained this week, very similar to Sven. He’s done some light jogging, he feels better with each day. We’ll make a late call.” – Eddie Howe
Joe Willock (hamstring) and Emil Krafth (knee) remain out for the Magpies but Javier Manquillo (groin), now third or fourth in the right-back pecking order, returned to training last Friday.
CHELSEA
Christopher Nkunku (knee), Reece James (hamstring), Wesley Fofana (knee), Marcus Bettinelli (knee), Trevoh Chalobah (hamstring) and Carney Chukwuemeka (knee) will definitely miss the visit of Nottingham Forest.
Romeo Lavia (match fitness), Armando Broja (knee) and Benoit Badiashile (hamstring) are back in “partial team training”, according to the club website, suggesting they too are a little short of being considered for selection.
Mykhailo Mudryk was a notable omission from the nine-strong injury list and his minor issue is seemingly behind him as he has been sighted in full team training.
Mauricio Pochettino reported no fresh concerns from the midweek EFL Cup tie against Wimbledon.
“From Wimbledon, I think, no news. No news, good news!” – Mauricio Pochettino
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Richarlison picked up a knock in Spurs’ clash with Fulham on Tuesday but he seems to be fit to feature this weekend, with Ange Postecoglou saying that Giovani Lo Celso (quad) was the only casualty from the midweek EFL cup exit.
Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), Bryan Gil (groin), Rodrigo Bentancur (knee) and Alfie Whiteman (ankle) have been on the sidelines all season so far.
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
Roberto De Zerbi confirmed on Friday that Danny Welbeck will miss tomorrow’s home game against Newcastle with a minor muscular issue.
The striker joins long-term absentee Julio Enciso (knee) on the sidelines.
ARSENAL
There was no team news mentioned in the broadcast section of Mikel Arteta’s press conference.
Takehiro Tomiyasu returns from suspension, while Jurrien Timber (knee) and Mohamed Elneny (knee) remain on the long-term injury list.
Eddie Nketiah was a minor concern after Gameweek 3, supposedly picking up a knee injury, but he has since been named in the England squad and there has been nothing mentioned since.
CRYSTAL PALACE
Roy Hodgson confirmed on Friday that Sam Johnstone would be between the posts for the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers, despite Crystal Palace adding Dean Henderson to their squad over the last few days.
“Most importantly of all, he brings a situation where we have two outstandingly good goalkeepers. The competition between them is going to be very important and of course, it’s good for us because whichever goalkeeper gets the No. 1 shirt we know we’ve got a top, top-class goalkeeper.
“More important than that, we know a lot things can happen during the season and if you’ve got two goalkeepers, each of whom are of the same level of performance, if anything happens to one of them you are still as well provided for between the sticks as you were before.
“Sam Johnstone will be in goal against Wolves – Dean’s only just arrived at the club, and needs to get to know the club and get to know his teammates before he can really provide the competition we’re expecting him to do.
“We signed him because he is very good. We were able to persuade him to come here and now there is a situation where, like several other teams, we are looking at two goalkeepers, either of whom can play in the first team and both of whom will be accepting of the fact that they do both want to play and they’ll have to accept the competition that provides.” – Roy Hodgson
Matheus Franca (back) and Michael Olise (hamstring) are still unavailable, while Malcolm Ebiowei and Nathan Ferguson have been training with the academy as part of their rehabilitation and are also thought to remain out.
Hodgson had previously earmarked Will Hughes (knee) for a return this week, however.
ASTON VILLA
Emiliano Martinez (calf) trained this morning, having sat out the last two matches in league and cup.
Philippe Coutinho (hamstring), Tyrone Mings (knee), Emi Buendia (knee), Alex Moreno (hamstring), Tim Iroegbunam (muscle) and Jacob Ramsey (foot) remain out for the Villans.
“Emiliano Martínez, he trained this morning. Tomorrow is the last training which will be important if he is going to be available or not. Hopefully, yes.” – Unai Emery
BRENTFORD
Mikkel Damsgaard is unavailable for Brentford’s clash with Bournemouth because of an adductor injury.
The Denmark international joins Josh Dasilva (hamstring), Shandon Baptiste (shoulder) and the suspended Ivan Toney on the sidelines.
Thomas Strakosha has been absent for the last two matches in league and cup with a minor issue, too.
In better news, Ben Mee returned from a calf injury to feature for Brentford in their midweek cup clash with Newport County.
BOURNEMOUTH
Tyler Adams (hamstring), Adam Smith (muscle), Ryan Fredericks (calf), Marcus Tavernier (unspecified), Emiliano Marcondes (foot), Alex Scott (knee) and Dango Ouattara (ankle) were all absent for Gameweek 3 and again in the EFL Cup on Tuesday.
Smith and Tavernier are the only ones who could potentially return at Brentford.
“You saw that we had almost the same team in the Carabao Cup against Swansea that we had against Tottenham.
“Tavernier and Smith are training partly with the team, they are maybe the ones who could help us.” – Andoni Iraola
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