We’ve got the key FPL injury news from the four pre-Gameweek 28 press conferences taking place today.
The head coaches of Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton and Sheffield United are up this afternoon.
The managers of the other 16 sides will either face the media tomorrow or pre-record pressers after tonight’s European ties.
We’ll have a busier live blog on Friday covering that bunch.
Until then, we’ll point you in the direction of our early team news round-up for those clubs.
FPL GAMEWEEK 28 TEAM NEWS: KEY INJURY UPDATES
- Arsenal: Saka + Martinelli to be assessed but Arteta positive, Raya ineligible
- Chelsea: Chilwell + Colwill join the injury list, Gallagher ill, no one expected back
- Everton: Dele + Danjuna still out, Gueye “unlikely”, a few knocks + bruises elsewhere
- Sheffield United: Wilder expects to have a “similar” squad, Diaz in contention
FPL GAMEWEEK 28 TEAM NEWS: THURSDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
ARSENAL
Mikel Arteta is confident that Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli will be fit to face Brentford this weekend.
Saka was substituted in Monday’s win over Sheffield United after “feeling sick”, while Martinelli had to be helped from the field of play with a “slight cut”.
“Not much. We got some players back last Monday. Then we had [Gabriel] Martinelli and Bukayo [Saka] with little issues. We are pretty positive that hopefuly they can be part of that but we’ll have to wait and see how they do tomorrow.” – Mikel Arteta on Arsenal’s team news
David Raya can’t feature in this one, as he’s on loan from the Bees.
There wasn’t much on the Gunners’ other injured players.
Jurrien Timber (knee) is still thought to be some distance from a playing comeback despite returning to the grass recently, while Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf) hasn’t been seen since Gameweek 23.
Arteta was a bit more informative on Takehiro Tomiyasu (calf) on Monday, saying the defender was “very close” and “already doing something on the grass”.
CHELSEA
Mauricio Pochettino isn’t expecting any of Carney Chukwuemeka (ankle), Romeo Lavia (thigh), Lesley Ugochukwu (hamstring), Reece James (hamstring), Wesley Fofana (knee), Benoit Badiashile (muscle) or Christopher Nkunku (hamstring) to return.
The weekly injury bulletin earlier said that Chukwuemeka was “to join team training” and that Badiashile was set to “join partial team training for [the] reconditioning phase”.
And the fitness situation has got even worse for the Blues, with Levi Colwill (toe) and Ben Chilwell (knee) joining the injury list.
Conor Gallagher hasn’t trained all week due to illness, meanwhile. The clash with Newcastle United being on Monday at least gives him a bit of extra time to recover.
“So far, no [change with the already injured players]. I think the same situation as last week.
“We add to the list of injured players, Levi Colwill and Chilwell. From Saturday, Gallagher is not training because he has got a virus.” – Mauricio Pochettino
“In the last three days that we were training, he is still not here. We’ll see tomorrow or Saturday if he can be with the possibility to train.
“I think the problem always with these types of situations, you lose weight, the energy is down and you need time to recover. We’ll see if it’s possible he can be available and which level he can be available in the situation, he can maybe play or play a few minutes. We need to assess him in the next few days.” – Mauricio Pochettino on Conor Gallagher
EVERTON
Arnaut Danjuma (ankle) and Dele Alli (groin) remain out for Everton this weekend.
A hopeful Dyche said “there’s a chance” that Danjuma could return after the March international break.
Idrissa Gana Gueye (groin) is unlikely to feature but not completely ruled out of Gameweek 28.
“Arnaut continues to make progress, not there yet. Gana will be unlikely but got a chance, I would say. A few knocks and bruises but everyone should be alright.” – Sean Dyche
Dyche gave Beto a start at the expense of Dominic Calvert-Lewin last weekend and discussed his striking dilemma on Thursday.
“Beto did a good job.
“We want that competitive element.
“Beto has not been far away from the thinking anyway but it’s finding the balance at the right time to go and win games. We didn’t win but he gave a decent performance.” – Sean Dyche
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Chris Wilder expects to have a “similar” group of players at his disposal as he did against Arsenal on Monday night.
“Yeah, it’s a similar squad. We’ve got a couple who, yet again, have come out of the Arsenal game not in great shape. Yet again, we’re fighting that battle as well.” – Chris Wilder
Ben Brereton Diaz returned to the squad as an unused substitute in Gameweek 27 but should feature this weekend.
“Ben has been a big miss but he’ll be back for the weekend. I could have put him on the pitch on Monday night but we felt three or four days training would make him in better shape for the weekend. So, he’s back involved.” – Chris Wilder
Rhian Brewster (hamstring), Max Lowe (ankle), Rhys Norrington-Davies (hamstring), Chris Basham (leg) and John Egan (leg) are on the long-term injury list, while Mason Holgate is banned.
Wilder talked last week of Cameron Archer (calf) and Anis Ben Slimane (unspecified) likely being back after the March international break, meanwhile.
Daniel Jebbison has not kicked a ball all season as he battled first injury and then what seems to be a serious illness. Wilder’s last update suggested he could be back soon, however.
