Gameweek 21 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) is still some time away but all 20 Premier League managers have staged press conferences before the FA Cup third round.
Nine top-flight bosses faced the media on Wednesday and Thursday, with the key team news and quotes here.
The rest, including Pep Guardiola, Eddie Howe and Jurgen Klopp, took place on Friday and are summarised below.
KEY INJURY UPDATES
- Manchester City: Haaland “a little bit better”, Doku + De Bruyne “feel good”, Bernardo ill
- Newcastle United: Trippier faces late test, Wilson out
- Liverpool: Szoboszlai set to miss at least two matches
- Chelsea: Nkunku “suffered issues” during the week, Chilwell training
- Aston Villa: Pau is still not 100%
- Arsenal: Zinchenko will be assessed
- Nottingham Forest: Nuno says Elanga will miss out
- Brighton and Hove Albion: Dunk returns, Ferguson set to start
- West Ham United: Four players to be assessed
- Bournemouth: Ouattara’s issue is “not a big injury”
- Luton Town: Potts and Burke not ready
MANCHESTER CITY
Pep Guardiola has given an update on the fitness of Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku.
De Bruyne and Doku are in contention to return this weekend, but Haaland may take longer.
“They are training with us for the last two to three sessions. Jeremy [Doku] feels really, really good, Kevin [De Bruyne] as well. We have to be patient with Kevin and give him the right minutes.
“Erling [Haaland] is a little bit better, it’s bone so we have to be careful. He’s done two to three sessions and feels good after. I don’t know for Sunday or Newcastle but hopefully for the rest they will be ready.” – Pep Guardiola
When asked specifically about De Bruyne’s return, Guardiola said:
“A big injury, what is the biggest concern is to try and avoid a repeat. If the intention is I want to play today, we have to be careful and speak with him and the physio over the best process and the minutes.
“Kevin needs to accumulate weeks of training and minutes and not take a step back. He can train four, five, six sessions in a row. He can accumulate time in the training sessions, more important than 90 mins, 80 mins. Do it now and he will get injured again. It’s been a long time, no pre-season. He’s so fresh and has incredible desire, but we have to be careful.” – Pep Guardiola on Kevin De Bruyne
Guardiola also confirmed John Stones is “getting better” but remains out, while Bernardo Silva, Matheus Nunes, Kalvin Phillips and Scott Carson have all been struggling with illness.
Rodri has suffered a family bereavement, meanwhile.
NEWCASTLE
Kieran Trippier faces a late fitness test ahead of the Tyne-Wear derby, but Callum Wilson’s calf injury will keep him sidelined.
“Kieran [Trippier] will be given a late test today to see how he is.
“Callum [Wilson] isn’t too bad but it’ll be enough to keep him out of this game and our next game. Hopefully we get him back for Aston Villa.” – Eddie Howe
LIVERPOOL
Dominik Szoboszlai has picked up a hamstring injury and will be unavailable for the FA Cup game with Arsenal and Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Fulham.
“It is an injury… muscle, hamstring. I don’t know, we have to see. Dom is very positive. He doesn’t have a lot of pain, but we have to wait a little bit. No chance obviously for Sunday, not for Wednesday, and then we will see after that. Hopefully he might be back, but we don’t know.
“Besides that, nothing else really happened. The rest was yesterday available and fully fit, so let’s hope that stays the same and we will have to make a choice.” – Jurgen Klopp on Dominik Szoboszlai and the rest of his squad
Asked about Mohamed Salah, who is on international duty with Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations, Jurgen Klopp added:
“We played against West Ham without Mo [Salah] on that right side and Harvey [Elliott] played there. We have different offensive options who can all play that wing in a different way. No-one else who plays that wing should try to play like Mo, it’s not possible, so we just have to find another way and use the boys to their skills.
“Do you want to play without Mo? No. In the past we didn’t have to do it that often but we always found a way to get through these periods. I am pretty sure we will be fine but of course we play at Arsenal. At Arsenal you can lose with Mo Salah, so it is possible as well that we lose without him. But in the moment, we have a chance to win the game so I think we should more think about that.” – Jurgen Klopp
CHELSEA
Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka are both nearing a return from injury.
Christopher Nkunku “suffered an issue” during the week but will be in the matchday squad, meanwhile.
“Chilly [Chilwell] and Carney [Chukwuemeka] are not available for tomorrow. We’ll see for the next game, the semi-final in Middlesbrough, and then Fulham. They are doing well, training with the group in the last few days and we are so happy with their progress.
“Romeo Lavia is recovering after his injury. We still don’t know when he’s going to be available again because of the problem in his quad during the game against Palace.
“Benoit [Badiashile] I think is going to be available for next week.” – Mauricio Pochettino
“Christoph is not going to start because he suffered an issue during the week. He’s going to be in the squad but he’s not going to start. We need to be careful with him because he is starting to compete after six months out.” – Mauricio Pochettino on Christopher Nkunku
ASTON VILLA
Unai Emery remains without several first-team players for Saturday’s trip to Middlesbrough, including Pau Torres, Lucas Digne and Youri Tielemans.
However, Boubacar Kamara returns from suspension and Matty Cash will also travel to Teesside.
On Pau, Emery said he is not 100% but he is hopeful he will be fit again in Gameweek 21.
ARSENAL
Mikel Arteta has said Oleksandr Zinchenko will be assessed before Sunday’s FA Cup clash with Liverpool.
“He is progressing well. He will have another training session tomorrow and we will evaluate whether he is able to play and start the game.” – Mikel Arteta on Oleksandr Zinchenko
On Thomas Partey, Arteta hopes “he is only weeks away, not months”, but he doesn’t expect Jurrien Timber back anytime soon.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Nottingham Forest have a few injury issues for Sunday’s FA Cup tie with Blackpool.
Nuno Espirito Santo revealed Anthony Elanga is out of the game because of injury, as is Taiwo Awoniyi.
Felipe and Divock Origi remain doubts, while Morgan Gibbs-White suffered a dead leg in Gameweek 20 but is expected to be in contention.
“Anthony [Elanga] took a knock in the last game. He is an important absence for us.
“Let’s see how Divock [Origi] is, he is still recovering. Something is not comfortable. He improves but then today in the training session he worked but, in the end, he felt something that doesn’t give him comfort. We are going to do an MRI again to see if there is something. Hopefully he is going to be available, but that is the doubt we have.
“Morgan [Gibbs-White] took a big impact and had a dead leg. He is still struggling, so let’s see how he recovers.” – Nuno Espirito Santo
BRIGHTON
Lewis Dunk returns after suspension and is available for the trip to Stoke City.
Roberto De Zerbi also confirmed that Jakub Moder and Evan Ferguson will both start.
Adam Webster is “okay” but his condition will be assessed ahead of the game, meanwhile.
“He finished the [last] game with cramp. We don’t want to take risks with the players because we cannot lose any more players.” – Roberto De Zerbi on Adam Webster
WEST HAM
Vladimir Coufal, Kurt Zouma, Lucas Paqueta and Michail Antonio are all being assessed and a decision on their involvement will be made after training on Saturday.
BOURNEMOUTH
Andoni Iraola confirmed Milos Kerkez, Lloyd Kelly and Tyler Adams are all still a way off returning to first-team training after their respective injuries.
On Dango Ouatarra, they will have to “wait and see” how he feels after limping off against Tottenham Hotspur in Gameweek 20.
However, Iraola did say his knee issue is “not a big injury”.
LUTON TOWN
Rob Edwards said the game comes “too soon” for Dan Potts and Reece Burke, who are both back in full training but lacking match sharpness.
