We will be hearing from 14 managers on Friday as the pre-Gameweek 26 press conferences continue to take place.
A dozen of them are facing the media before their Premier League fixtures, while Pep Lijnders and Mauricio Pochettino will provide the latest Liverpool and Chelsea injury news ahead of Sunday’s EFL Cup final.
All the updates and key Fantasy Premier League (FPL) talking points will be covered in this ‘live’ article.
Hit refresh for the latest news as this piece will be updated as and when the pressers take place.
The main headlines from Thursday’s four media gatherings are available to read here.
GAMEWEEK 26 TEAM NEWS: KEY INJURY UPDATES
- Manchester City: Guardiola “pretty sure” De Bruyne will travel, two still out
- Manchester United: Hojlund out for 2-3 weeks
- Arsenal: Updates on Jesus, Zinchenko, Tomiyasu + Partey
- Newcastle United: Schar passed fit, Isak + Willock train and in contention
- Brighton and Hove Albion: Mitoma a big doubt, Pedro still out, Enciso on bench
- Aston Villa: Konsa + Carlos still sidelined
- Brentford: Mbeumo back after the international break
- Crystal Palace: No new concerns, Eze still a week away
- West Ham United: Paqueta back in training and in contention
- Bournemouth: Faivre returns but injured quartet still out
- Nottingham Forest: AFCON trio return with injuries, Awoniyi uncertainty
- Sheffield United: Wilder not giving much away, Baldock could return
EFL CUP FINAL UPDATES
- Liverpool: Salah, Darwin + Szoboszlai to be assessed before Sunday’s final, Alisson, Jota + TAA out until after the international break
- Chelsea: Thiago has a chance for the final, Cucurella partly back in training
GAMEWEEK 26 TEAM NEWS: FRIDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
MANCHESTER CITY
City will still be without Josko Gvardiol (ankle) and Jack Grealish (muscle) but the pair are closing in on recoveries.
“This week, no, but it’s closer. I don’t know exactly, I didn’t speak with the doctors but they are closer. I don’t know [for the Manchester derby]” – Pep Guardiola on Josko Gvardiol and Jack Grealish
Kevin De Bruyne, who remained an unused substitute against Brentford in midweek, is not injured, however.
Pep Guardiola said after full-time on Tuesday night that the Belgian had complained of a “niggle in his hamstring” and wasn’t risked as a result.
But the City boss added on Friday that he was “pretty sure” De Bruyne would travel to Bournemouth, with a decision to be made on the extent of his involvement today.
“Good, he’s not injured. I don’t know if he’s 100% but I think we took good decisions, didn’t take a risk.
“I think we took a decision because he didn’t feel comfortable.
“I don’t know [if I will have to protect him again] because we have training at 4. The day after the game he didn’t train, yesterday was off and he came and trained for himself. Today we will assess and we will decide but I am pretty sure he will travel.” – Pep Guardiola on Kevin De Bruyne
MANCHESTER UNITED
The Red Devils confirmed ahead of Erik ten Hag’s press conference that Rasmus Hojlund will miss the clash with Fulham on Saturday due to a muscle injury.
The issue is expected to keep him out for two to three weeks.
“It’s a small injury, two or three weeks. That’s the risk playing high intensity, training. As I say it’s not a big injury but he has to wait for one, two or three weeks.” – Erik ten Hag on Rasmus Hojlund
Luke Shaw (muscle) had joined the injury list earlier in the week after being withdrawn in the first half of Sunday’s 2-1 victory at Luton Town.
The left-back looks set to be out for a number of months.
Tyrell Malacia (knee), Mason Mount (calf), Lisandro Martinez (knee), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (leg) and Anthony Martial (groin) will all remain sidelined, too.
ARSENAL
Stop the press: Mikel Arteta gave us an actual update on Arsenal’s injured players, even if it was still on the vague side.
Thomas Partey (muscle), Gabriel Jesus (knee) and Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf) are nearing a return, although Takehiro Tomiyasu (calf) looks to be slightly behind the others.
“Let’s see [on whether Thomas Partey will be available]. We have another session today, obviously he’s been out for many, many months now and we need to really nail the timing and when he has enough in the tank to compete. But I think he’s very close.
“Same with Gabi [Jesus] as well, he’s done a few things. Alex [Zinchenko] is not far, too.
“Tomiyasu still a little bit more, I think.” – Mikel Arteta
Jurrien Timber (knee) is progressing well but won’t be seen competitively till later in the season.
Fabio Vieira (groin) returned to the Arsenal squad against Porto on Wednesday night.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Eddie Howe confirmed that Fabian Schar has recovered from the wrist injury that he sustained in last weekend’s draw with Bournemouth.
The Swiss defender is available for selection.
“Yeah, he’s fine.” – Eddie Howe on Fabian Schar
And the Newcastle boss may also be able to call upon Alexander Isak (groin) and Joe Willock (Achilles), who have trained ahead of the trip to Arsenal.
“They’ve trained this week, it’s been good to see them back on the grass.
“It’s been a long time for Joe, he’s a huge player for us and it’s great to see him back in amongst the group.
“With Alex, again, a really important player, he’s trained very well.
“We’ll have to wait and see [if they’ll be involved], we have got one more training session but we’ve been pleased with their progress.” – Eddie Howe on Alexander Isak and Joe Willock
Callum Wilson (tendon), Elliot Anderson (back), Joelinton (quad), Sandro Tonali (ban), Nick Pope (shoulder) and Matt Targett (hamstring) remain out.
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
Joao Pedro (hamstring) is back in the gym but is still two to four weeks away from a return, while Jack Hinshelwood (foot) and Solly March (knee) are out longer term.
Roberto De Zerbi added on Friday that Kauro Mitoma was also a big doubt with a back injury.
Julio Enciso (knee) will be on the bench against Everton for his long-awaited comeback, however.
We await the latest on James Milner (muscle), who has been out since early February.
ASTON VILLA
Boubacar Kamara (knee), Tyrone Mings (knee) and Emi Buendia (knee) are out for the season, while Unai Emery confirmed on Friday that Diego Carlos (hamstring), Ezra Konsa (knee) and Jhon Duran (hamstring) would still be unavailable for Aston Villa’s clash with Nottingham Forest.
“Still being injured are the players who had surgery, like Mings, Buendia and Kamara. Kamara, he had it yesterday. Mings and Buendia are progressing very well, every day they are closer to starting being with the squad. Not completely, of course, this season is not for them.
“Konsa is progressing very well but still out for this match. Diego Carlos is working alone and Jhon Duran. The other players I think they are available and ready for tomorrow.” – Unai Emery
BRENTFORD
Thomas Frank said that Bryan Mbeumo is “progressing” from an ankle injury and will “hopefully” be available after the March international break.
Ethan Pinnock (ankle) is expected to be back at a similar time.
There are no timeframes on the returns of Aaron Hickey (hamstring) and Kevin Schade (muscle), while Rico Henry (knee) and Josh Dasilva (knee) are out for the season.
“Nothing changed from the Manchester game, everyone from that game is available again.” – Thomas Frank
CRYSTAL PALACE
Oliver Glasner confirmed on Friday that the Eagles hadn’t picked up any new concerns in Monday’s draw with Everton but added that he wasn’t expecting anyone back, either.
The good news is that Eberechi Eze (hamstring) has begun training and should be in line for a Gameweek 27 return.
Marc Guehi (knee), Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (hamstring), Michael Olise (hamstring), Cheick Doucoure (Achilles), Rob Holding (ankle) and Will Hughes (unknown) will also miss out again.
“Not for tomorrow. Tomorrow will be the same squad as at Everton, so nobody is coming back but also nobody [else] is out.
“Eze had with us the last two traning sessons, looks good, so he will be with us the whole of next week and if he feels ready he will be in the squad against Spurs. Will Hughes, also. Marc and Michael, we will see.” – Oliver Glasner
WEST HAM UNITED
Lucas Paquetá (calf) is back in training and David Moyes said on Friday that the Brazilian midfielder is “very close to returning” and “in contention” to face Brentford on Monday night.
“Lucas Paquetá is back in training and is very close to returning, hopefully that will give us a huge boost.
“He’s in contention [for Monday] and we’ll have to see where he is.
“We had [Mick Antonio] back last week, we’ve had [Mo Kudus] back from the AFCON, so it’s good that we’re getting most of the squad back together.” – David Moyes
Kalvin Phillips will definitely miss Gameweek 26, however, after being sent off for two bookable offences at Nottingham Forest.
BOURNEMOUTH
Romain Faivre will return after missing the trip to Newcastle through illness but the Cherries will again be without Max Aarons (hamstring), James Hill (ankle), Tyler Adams (hamstring) and Ryan Fredericks (calf).
Philip Billing serves the final game of a three-match ban following his dismissal in Gameweek 23.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Forest have been dealt a triple injury blow after Ibrahim Sangaré, Willy Boly and Ola Aina all returned from international duty with issues.
They’ll miss this weekend’s clash with Aston Villa.
Chris Wood (hamstring) also remains out through injury but Gonzalo Montiel (hamstring) has been sighted in training this week.
There may be a slight concern over Taiwo Awoniyi, too, after his withdrawal midway through the second half of Forest’s win over West Ham United. The player himself said he was “fine” but Nuno said last weekend that the striker would have to be assessed and he wasn’t spotted on a midweek training video.
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Chris Wilder didn’t want to give much away on the team news front but did say that there had been “progression with two or three players”.
George Baldock (muscle) is thought to be one of them based on Wilder’s quotes from last week, while Daniel Jebbison (illness) may only be a week or two away.
Max Lowe (ankle) and Rhys Norrington-Davies (hamstring) have both been ruled out for the season this week, while Chris Basham (leg) and John Egan (leg) have already been sidelined for several months.
Mason Holgate won’t be involved, either, as he begins a three-match ban for his Gameweek 25 red card.
Ben Brereton Diaz (hamstring) “wasn’t close” to being involved against Brighton at the weekend, meanwhile, and Cameron Archer was absent after complaining of calf tightness.
LIVERPOOL
Dominik Szoboszlai (hamstring), Mohamed Salah (hamstring) and Darwin Nunez (muscle) will all be assessed before Sunday’s EFL Cup final.
But we won’t see Trent Alexander-Arnold (knee), Alisson (hamstring) or Diogo Jota (knee), all of whom look set to be out until after the March international break.
Curtis Jones (ankle) may be back before then but not in time for the clash with Chelsea at Wembley.
“Dom, Darwin and Mo, we have to really see. We have two more days: today’s session and tomorrow’s session. Last minute we will check if they can be there, would be great to be honest.
“Ali, muscle injury, after the international break. Curtis, high ankle sprain, he will be in and around the international break. Trent, lateral ligament, he will be after the international break. Jota, medial ligament, he will be after the international break. After the international break means we are not sure!” – Pep Lijnders
Longer-term absentees Thiago Alcantara (muscle), Stefan Bajcetic (calf), Ben Doak (knee) and Joel Matip (knee) also remain sidelined.
CHELSEA
Thiago Silva (groin) has a chance of making the Chelsea squad for Sunday’s final, having started training again.
Marc Cucurella (knee) is also to make a “partial” return to team training.
“I think we need to assess a few players still to see if they can be involved on Sunday. We will know tomorrow if we can recover some players from injury.
“Thiago has a chance, tomorrow we will see if he is ready to be involved in the game.” – Mauricio Pochettino
Carney Chukwuemeka (ankle), Romeo Lavia (thigh), Lesley Ugochukwu (hamstring), Reece James (hamstring), Wesley Fofana (knee) and Benoit Badiashile (muscle) remain out.
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