The pre-match press conferences for Gameweek 22 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) are underway, with the all-important injury news starting to arrive.
Ten Premier League managers are facing reporters on Monday, with the latest key quotes and team news updates provided in the article below.
We should hear from at least six more top-flight bosses on Tuesday, including Jurgen Klopp, Ange Postecoglou and Pep Guardiola.
There is, however, a strong chance we won’t hear from Gary O’Neil, Erik ten Hag, David Moyes and Andoni Iraola before the FPL deadline. Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester United and West Ham United v Bournemouth take place on Thursday, so the pre-match press conferences for those four clubs may be held on Wednesday. We’ll know for sure tomorrow morning.
GAMEWEEK 22 TEAM NEWS: KEY INJURY UPDATES
- Arsenal: Late calls on Gabriel + Rice, Partey won’t be involved
- Newcastle United: Howe hopeful on Trippier + Almiron, Lascelles a doubt, Wilson out
- Aston Villa: Pau + Digne still out, Ramsey a late call
- Crystal Palace: Olise fit, Ayew returns from AFCON
- Brighton and Hove Albion: Same squad as the weekend, Fati not yet ready
- Everton: Gomes + Doucoure still out, Coleman “closer”
- Nottingham Forest: Elanga, Felipe + Awoniyi back in training
- Fulham: Wilson out for 2-3 weeks, Adama in training but still out
- Luton Town: Andersen + Brown remain unavailable, Osho returns
- Sheffield United: Grbic the new Blades number one
GAMEWEEK 22 TEAM NEWS: MONDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
ARSENAL
Mikel Arteta will make late calls on Gabriel Magalhaes (knock) and Declan Rice (muscle) after they picked up injuries in Gameweek 21.
Thomas Partey (muscle) won’t be involved against Nottingham Forest, despite returning to training this week.
“We’ve got some late decisions to make. Thomas [Partey] won’t be one of those. But we have a few who had some issues at the end of the last game and we are still assessing a few players.
“Thomas is not in the squad.
“[Rice] is one of the players, yes. He’s done some work but he’s missed some work as well. Hopefully, he’s going to be OK.
“Yeah, [Gabriel] is another one.” – Mikel Arteta
Jurrien Timber (knee) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (international duty) remain unavailable, too, while Mohamed Elneny will presumably miss out: Egypt were eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday but the trip to Forest falls just 48 hours after that game.
Fabio Vieira (groin) has been back in training over the last few weeks, so is presumably close to a comeback.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Eddie Howe is hopeful that Kieran Trippier (groin) and Miguel Almiron (illness) will recover from minor issues to feature against Aston Villa.
The Newcastle boss was less optimistic about Jamaal Lascelles (calf), while the match comes too soon for Callum Wilson (calf) and Harvey Barnes (toe) despite their looming returns.
Joelinton (quad), Sandro Tonali (ban), Joe Willock (Achilles), Nick Pope (shoulder), Elliot Anderson (back) and Matt Targett (hamstring) also remain out.
“We hope Miggy will be with us. Jamaal, I’m not so sure about. It’s not a serious injury but I think it might be enough to keep him out of this game but we will wait and see, I think it will be close. We certainly hope to have Miggy with us.
“I think we’re OK [with Trippier], I’ll know more today.
“Harvey is getting closer. He’s probably the closest, along with Callum Wilson. Then you go a little bit further back to Joe Willock and a little bit further again to Elliot, then you have got a couple of others that are even further back. Those guys are probably the closest to returning to help us.” – Eddie Howe
ASTON VILLA
Unai Emery confirmed on Monday that Pau Torres (ankle) will once again miss out in Gameweek 22.
Lucas Digne (hamstring), who had hoped to be back for the visit of Newcastle United, is also still sidelined.
Jhon Duran (hamstring), Bertrand Traore (international duty), Tyrone Mings (knee) and Emi Buendia (knee) remain unavailable.
A late call will be made on Jacob Ramsey (hamstring), who returned to training on Monday.
“Pau Torres is out, Lucas Digne is out, Jacob Ramsey is a doubt. Still out, Bertrand Traoré, he is still with his national team. Still out, Tyrone Mings and Emi Buendía. Olsen is ready and available. Jhon Durán is out.” – Unai Emery
CRYSTAL PALACE
The Eagles have been boosted by the return of Michael Olise (hamstring), although manager Roy Hodgson did urge caution after his recent absence.
“He’s available, he’s trained. We’ll see. Obviously, we have to be careful, the sports science people are urging caution. But we’ll see, he himself feels he’s fine. I don’t have any concerns myself but we will have to keep an eye on it, because it is quite a long time since he played the last game.” – Roy Hodgson on Michael Olise
Jordan Ayew is also back from the African Cup of Nations after Ghana’s elimination.
So, Cheick Doucoure (Achilles), Rob Holding (ankle) and Joel Ward (hamstring) are the only Palace players missing for the visit of Sheffield United.
Even then, Ward is nearing a comeback.
“Our injury situation is pretty good, a stark contrast to how it was a few weeks ago.
“The only players we can’t call upon at the moment are the two who have had operations: Cheick Doucoure and Rob Holding.
“Joel Ward is still not back to full fitness but he’s actually quite close now, so I don’t think it will be long before we get him back as well.” – Roy Hodgson
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
Roberto De Zerbi said that he will have the same squad to face Luton Town on Tuesday as he did for the FA Cup win at Sheffield United.
The Brighton boss did add that there could be line-up changes, however.
Ansi Fati (muscle) isn’t yet available for selection, despite his return to training in the last week.
“The same squad, maybe we change some players in the first XI. We are all in a good condition.
“No, I think no. I think it’s a risk for him, especially for him, because he’s important for us in the second part of the season. We can’t take any risks in this moment.” – Roberto De Zerbi on whether Ansu Fati could be available in Gameweek 22 or 23
Joel Veltman (knee), Solly March (knee) and Julio Enciso (knee) remain on the injury list, while Simon Adingra and Kaoru Mitoma are away on international duty.
De Zerbi challenged Joao Pedro to continue his good form, meanwhile.
“The target of Joao is to play better and better and to keep this mentality because now he’s showing a great mentality, a mentality he needs and we need.
“He is becoming amazing as a striker because his qualities to play in ball possession, to play between the lines, to make assists were important, but in terms of goals, he is improving a lot.
“I think the last step to become a great, great player is to play 90 minutes in the same way. Sometimes he starts the game not pushing off his best and I would like at the beginning of the game, until the end of the game, the same mentality.” – Roberto De Zerbi on Joao Pedro
EVERTON
André Gomes (calf) and Abdoulaye Doucoure (hamstring) remain out, while veteran full-back Seamus Coleman (hamstring) is a doubt to face Fulham on Tuesday.
Ashley Young (muscle) returned as an unused substitute in the FA Cup defeat to Luton Town, meanwhile.
“[Gomes] is not going to be fit this week. It is going to be a matter of time, we don’t know how long yet, but it’s definitely a calf injury. He’s had a couple of them over the last few months. It has been very difficult and it’s a loss to us because I think you’ve seen he was showing he wants to adapt to what we’re doing and play for us, and he scored a great free-kick and looked sharp as he was getting fitter, and then he getts injured again, so it’s really frustrating for him and for us.
“I doubt [anyone will be back]. Close calls on a couple but we can’t keep losing players. So if there are close calls we might have to go against it, just by the nature of not losing more players. I doubt it, it is probably going to be a very similar group.
“Seamus [is a close call]. Youngy probably we would give him another week but needs must at the moment, with so few bodies. Seamus is probably the one a bit closer, we will have to make a judgement call on that.” – Sean Dyche
Dele Alli (groin) and Idrissa Gueye (international duty) are still unavailable.
FULHAM
Harry Wilson has been ruled out for “at least” two to three weeks with the shoulder injury he picked up in Saturday’s FA Cup defeat to Newcastle United.
“Unfortunately for us, he’s going to be another absence for the match.
“We have been able to really well take care of our players, which is good after that busy, busy December and January. We don’t have many injuries – that is a good sign that we have been doing the things really well, and the players have been taking care of themselves well, too.
“This was a different one, was when he fell down in that moment [after being fouled], was in his shoulder – nothing muscular or something like that.
“But, unfortunately for us, he’s going to be out at least two, three weeks. Let’s hope not longer than that, but at least three weeks he’s going to be out.” – Marco Silva on Harry Wilson
Adama Traore (hamstring), who is back on the grass but still unavailable, is the only other senior player on the injury list.
“The other player that is still out is Adama Traoré. Nice to see him back in the training with his teammates – soon we are going to see him back in the squad list.” – Marco Silva
Fulham also have three squad members away on international duty, however, namely Fode Ballo-Toure, Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Serge Aurier, Ibrahim Sangaré, Willy Boly, Ola Aina, Moussa Niakhaté and Cheikhou Kouyaté all remain on international duty.
Loanee Nuno Tavares is also ineligible to face his parent club but it is much better news on the injury front.
Anthony Elanga (thigh), Felipe (hamstring) and Taiwo Awoniyi (groin) have all rejoined training, leaving Divock Origi (muscle) – who seems to be on his way out of the club anyway – as the only injury-related absentee.
Morgan Gibbs-White (abdomen) returned as a substitute in the FA Cup at the weekend.
“The players that were out, they have joined the group. Even though they are not 100 percent, we have decided to have them around in the cases of Taiwo, Anthony and Felipe.
“We decided as a group to bring them to the squad, even though they are not totally ready yet.
“We will have to decide [on whether they will face Arsenal] after, now they are going to be with us and then we will decide.” – Nuno Espirito Santo
LUTON TOWN
Issa Kabore remains at the Africa Cup of Nations with Burkina Faso, while Mads Andersen (calf) and Jacob Brown (knee) aren’t ready to return.
Marvelous Nakamba (knee) and Tom Lockyer (health) are longer-term absentees.
Gabriel Osho is available, however, after missing the cup tie at Everton with an ankle issue.
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Chris Wilder has confirmed that new signing Ivo Grbic is his first-choice goalkeeper, despite the Croatia international conceding five goals on his debut on Saturday.
“He’s going to be our goalkeeper for the foreseeable future. We have signed him on a long-term deal and have confidence that it’s a good decision that we have got our own goalkeeper. The deal is a really good one and the boy wanted to come.
“He’s got a good pedigree and will get better. I made that decision. He wanted to play as well. There was a lot of travelling going on and medicals and training with Atletico Madrid on Monday and us on Friday. I made that decision and have to take responsibility for that. As you all know, [former defender] Jack O’Connell wouldn’t have had the career he had, if people had made that decision on him after three or four games.
“It’s a tough one for him to take, as he will have wanted to get off to a good start personally and it looks as if he hasn’t. But there’s more to come from him and he’ll be better – and we will be better – with him playing at the highest level.
“He’s number one. The other three goalkeepers are out of contract and I had to sort that situation out. It’s an opportunity that came up to sign an established goalkeeper who wanted to come and play in the Premier League who has got a good CV.” – Chris Wilder on Ivo Grbic, via the Sheffield Star
The Sheffield United boss added in Monday’s presser that Wes Foderingham could now go out on loan.
Elsewhere, Wilder confirmed that everyone had come through the Brighton game unscathed.
Chris Basham (leg) and John Egan (leg) are the only longer-term absentees through injury, although George Baldock (unspecified issue) and Rhian Brewster (banned) are also missing.
Tom Davies (thigh) and Max Lowe (muscle) were previously earmarked as potential returnees for this match, while Yasser Larouci and Anis Ben Slimane are now back from the Africa Cup of Nations after their countries were eliminated.
