FPL Gameweek 38 team news: Friday’s live injury updates

We’ll get team news from 18 Premier League managers today as the Gameweek 38 pre-match press conferences continue.

You’ll find the key quotes and injury updates in this article.

The other two bosses, Thomas Frank and Erik ten Hag, faced the media on Thursday. Their team news (or lack thereof) is included here, too.

This is a ‘live’ blog, so hit refresh for the latest updates.

FPL GAMEWEEK 38 TEAM NEWS: KEY INJURY UPDATES

• Manchester City: De Bruyne to be assessed, Ederson out
• Arsenal: No word on Saka from Arteta
• Newcastle United: Howe “not 100% sure” on Gordon, Wilson set to be fit
• Chelsea: James banned, Mudryk observing concussion protocol
• Liverpool: Jota, Robertson + Thiago all sighted in training
• Tottenham Hotspur: Lo Celso the only new concern, eight out
• Manchester United: Varane + Lindelof back on the grass, Shaw + Maguire latest
• Aston Villa: Tielemans, Rogers, Cash + Zaniolo out
• Wolverhampton Wanderers: Neto + Sa back in the squad, Sarabia a doubt
• Crystal Palace: Hughes out, Lerma available
• Brighton and Hove Albion: Dunk ruled out
• Everton: Harrison won’t recover, Dyche hopeful on Gomes
• Bournemouth: Kerkez returns, Faivre + Mepham possibilities
• Fulham: Lukic still injured, Diop banned
• West Ham United: Phillips ineligible, no injury updates from Moyes
• Brentford: No team news updates yet from Frank
• Nottingham Forest: Williams + Dominguez sidelined, “some others out”
• Luton Town: Barkley + Burke out
• Sheffield United: Holgate + Ahmedhodzic return
• Burnley: No word on the Clarets’ team news

FPL GAMEWEEK 38 TEAM NEWS: FRIDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIME

MANCHESTER CITY

Ederson will miss the final league fixture of the season after fracturing his eye socket in midweek.

Kevin De Bruyne, who took a knock to the ankle in the win over Spurs, will be assessed after training.

“We will see today. Yesterday he was off, today we are going to train.” – Pep Guardiola on Kevin De Bruyne

Other than the injury update, the highlight of Pep Guardiola’s press conference was the City boss dropping the F-bomb as it streamed live on Sky Sports News…

ARSENAL

There was no team news update from Mikel Arteta this afternoon.

Bukayo Saka had hobbled out of the win over Manchester United, having taken a tumble into the advertising hoardings at Old Trafford.

Arteta did however say afterwards that he thought Saka was “going to be fine”.

Other than that, Arsenal are injury-free as far as we’re aware.

Jurrien Timber is technically available but still hasn’t featured in the first-team squad despite recovering from a knee injury and playing twice for the under-21s.

NEWCASTLE UNITED

Callum Wilson should return from illness this weekend but doubts remain over Anthony Gordon because of the ankle knock he sustained on Wednesday.

“We will wait and see, I am not 100% sure as I sit here now how he is. We will see how he is today. Certainly that tackle left a mark on him.” – Eddie Howe on Anthony Gordon

“Yeah, we anticipate he will be fit.” – Eddie Howe on Callum Wilson

Jamaal Lascelles (knee), Valentino Livramento (ankle), Sven Botman (knee), Joe Willock (Achilles), Matt Targett (Achilles) and Lewis Miley (back) are out for the campaign, while Sandro Tonali is banned until August.

Eddie Howe was also asked about the possibility of recalling fit-again regulars like Nick Pope and Joelinton this weekend:

“Yeah possibly, all options are open to us.

“I think with regarding those players, we’ve had to make the right decisions not just for them but for the team. There will be a next season for us and what we didn’t want to do is bring in a player, rush him back from injury and then lose him again for six months. That would have been foolish.

“So, we’ve tried to look after the players and introduce them when they’re ready.” – Eddie Howe

CHELSEA

Reece James begins a four-match ban, while Mykhailo Mudryk will miss out as he is observing the concussion protocol.

Mauricio Pochettino was cool on the suggestion that Christopher Nkunku will start in Mudryk’s place, having got more minutes than anticipated in midweek.

“Because I think he played more than we expected because of the problem with Mudryk, he played 70 minutes. Maybe a little bit longer than we planned. I think tomorrow we are going to assess him if he can start. For sure, 90 minutes is difficult for him. We play Wednesday and Sunday again.

“We don’t need to take risks. With the performance and medical staff, we will take the best decision for him, first, and then the team.

“We cannot take the risk. He needs to finish well with good feelings, and then to start pre-season like Reece James.” – Mauricio Pochettino on Christopher Nkunku

Carney Chukwuemeka (knee) is back in training so could feature but Robert Sanchez (illness), Romeo Lavia (thigh), Wesley Fofana (knee) and Enzo Fernandez (groin) look set to miss out again.

LIVERPOOL

There were no team news questions posed in the broadcast section of Jurgen Klopp’s final pre-match presser as Liverpool boss.

Hopefully, we will get lucky in the embargoed section still to come.

Diogo Jota (hip), Thiago Alcantara (muscle) and Andrew Robertson (minor injury) have all been seen in training in recent days.

Ben Doak (knee) and Joel Matip (knee) remain out.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Giovani Lo Celso is the only new concern from the midweek defeat to Manchester City.

“From the other night, the only one that is a bit of a doubt at the moment is Gio. He got a knock on his knee. He didn’t train today but we’ve got some training tomorrow, we’ll see.

“A few sore bodies but nothing that I think will make any changes in terms of the personnel that played the other night. So, more than likely it will be a similar kind of squad for Sunday’s game.” – Ange Postecoglou

Richarlison (calf), Yves Bissouma (knee), Ben Davies (hamstring), Destiny Udogie (thigh), Fraser Forster (foot), Manor Solomon (knee), Timo Werner (hamstring) and Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring) remain out.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Luke Shaw (muscle), Tyrell Malacia (knee) and Harry Maguire (wrist) look set to miss out again this weekend.

Maguire should be back for the FA Cup final but doubts remain over Shaw.

“For the cup final, we’re working on [it]. I think Harry Maguire, I think it’s a fair chance that he will be available. We plan [for] him. Luke is more complicated, in this moment, let’s say it’s a less chance that he will make it. But there is still a very small, reduced chance.” – Erik ten Hag

Raphael Varane (muscle) and Victor Lindelof (hamstring) are back on the grass, with assessment to come to see if they can feature in Gameweek 38.

“I can’t say in this moment but we are working to bring players back. We have seen [returning to the matchday squad] yesterday, Licha Martinez, he had a good session now as well. There were also others on the pitch like Rapha Varane and Victor Lindelof, they returned on the pitch. We have to see how far [off a return] they are on Sunday. Tomorrow, we have off, Saturday we have a training, and then we will see what we have.” – Erik ten Hag

Anthony Martial (groin) has been back in parts of training over the last few weeks, too, but it remains to be seen if he ever kicks a ball for United again.

Erik ten Hag previously said that Mason Mount only had a minor injury and was expected to be fit before the end of the season but we’ve had no further update on him.

ASTON VILLA

Nicolo Zaniolo joined Jacob Ramsey (foot), Tyrone Mings (knee) and Boubacar Kamara (knee) on the sidelines this week after suffering a broken metatarsal.

Unai Emery confirmed that Matty Cash, Youri Tielemans and Morgan Rogers won’t feature this weekend either.

Emi Buendia (knee), another long-term absentee, has been back in training over the last fortnight but isn’t ready to feature.

“Zaniolo broke his metatarsal and it is bad news. He was a doubt, but he did the effort to play on Monday because he had pain in his back after the match we played against Lille.

“He did the effort because we tried to use every players. He played 10 minutes and he broke his metatarsal and he will be out of the Euros. It is very sad for him. At the beginning of the season it will be difficult for him.

“Mings, Buendia, Kamara, Ramsey, Tielemans, Cash and Morgan are not available. We will play there being competitive.” – Unai Emery, in quotes reported by the Birmingham Mail

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS

Pedro Neto (hamstring) will be involved in the squad to face Liverpool after his recent return to training.

Jose Sa has recovered from illness, too.

Pablo Sarabia is now a concern with a “slight injury”, however.

Craig Dawson (groin) and Leon Chiwome (ankle) remain on the unavailable list. 

CRYSTAL PALACE

Will Hughes will miss out with a knee injury sustained last weekend, although he has avoided serious damage.

One possible replacement, Naouirou Ahamada, is banned following Gameweek 37’s red card.

Sam Johnstone (elbow), Matheus Franca (groin), Cheick Doucoure (Achilles) and Rob Holding (hamstring) look set to remain out, too.

Jefferson Lerma returns after a month out with a hamstring injury, although Oliver Glasner cautioned that he hasn’t trained much this week.

“Will is out for our last game against Aston Villa. It looked terrible on the video – in the game and also on the video – but fortunately everything is okay with he ligament. He has a bone bruise and he will be out for several weeks. He should be back when we start with pre-season but he will miss the last game.

“Jefferson Lerma is fit and will come back to the squad, and all others are still fit.

“I’m always pleased if a player is back from injury. It’s good but he was out for four weeks now and it’s the first week of training, [so he has] to get back into the rhythm, but it’s good to have him back.

“We lost Will, and we lost Ama because of the red card, so both are not available and this gives us another option in the midfield.” – Oliver Glasner

BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION

Lewis Dunk wiill miss out with a knee issue he suffered in midweek.

Joel Veltman also won’t recover from the injury sustained a week ago that forced him to miss the Chelsea match on Wednesday.

Roberto De Zerbi added that Tariq Lamptey would have to be assessed after he racked up 134 minutes in Double Gameweek 37, following a recent return to fitness.

Pervis Estupinan (calf), Evan Ferguson (ankle), Jack Hinshelwood (foot), Solly March (knee), Kauro Mitoma (back), James Milner (muscle) and Jan Paul van Hecke (hamstring) miss out again. 

“[Lewis Dunk] is not available, he can’t play tomorrow. I think it’s not such a big problem, which is good news for him and us, but [Sunday] he can’t play. Knee. The level of the injury, I don’t know exactly.

“We will have to see Lamptey’s situation because after a long time out, he played 60-70 minutes at Newcastle and then against Chelsea. We have to see if he’s good to play or not.

“I think Kaoru [Mitoma], Jack [Hinshelwood], Milner and JP [van Hecke] can be available to start in pre-season.

“Pervis Estupinan, I think September. Solly March, more or less. Ferguson, maybe one month more.” – Roberto De Zerbi

EVERTON

Jack Harrison (hamstring) won’t feature this weekend but Sean Dyche is hopeful of the availability of Andre Gomes (facial injury).

Vitalii Mykolenko (ankle), Nathan Patterson (hamstring) and Dele (groin) remain sidelined.

“Jack won’t be fit. Andre, we’re waiting on. We’re hopeful that he will be fit. Apart from the long-term ones, everyone else should be OK.” – Sean Dyche

BOURNEMOUTH

Milos Kerkez returns from a ban, while Andoni Iraola said that he will “try” to get Romain Faivre (ankle) available for the final day.

Iraola added that Chris Mepham (illness) was “improving” but didn’t know whether he’d be fit to face Chelsea.

Ryan Fredericks (calf) and Luis Sinisterra (hamstring) look set to miss out again.

“It is difficult because we still have two days until the game but I don’t think it will change a lot from the one we had the other day.

“I think probably we will try with Romain. He was out, it was just the ankle. I think he will try to be available.

“Meps is improving also. I don’t know if he will arrive but I think we are finishing the season in a better place.” – Andoni Iroala

FULHAM

Sasa Lukic won’t recover from the minor calf injury that saw him miss out in Gameweek 37.

Issa Diop is suspended for one match after his dismissal last weekend.

WEST HAM UNITED

Kalvin Phillips is ineligible to face his parent club this Sunday and is injured anyway.

We’ve not seen any team news updates from David Moyes, so we’re not sure whether Konstantinos Mavropanos (unknown) and Nayef Aguerd (ankle) will be back after they missed out in recent weeks.

BRENTFORD

Despite Thomas Frank hosting a half-hour-long press conference, there were no questions asked on Brentford’s team news.

There is, however, still an embargoed section still to come.

Long-term absentees Rico Henry (knee), Josh Dasilva (knee), Ben Mee (ankle) and Aaron Hickey (hamstring) will remain sidelined.

Frank Onyeka missed out last weekend with a “minor injury”, meanwhile.

Nathan Collins also came off in the match against Bournemouth late on. Frank was hopeful then that it was nothing serious.

Neal Maupay should be available: he was unavailable in Gameweek 37 as he was attending the birth of his child.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST

Neco Williams (thigh) and Nicolas Dominguez (hernia) will miss the clash with Burnley.

Nuno Espirito Santo added that some others are sidelined but didn’t want to name names.

“No, unfortunately [Williams] is not going to be available.

“Also Nicolas Dominguez, we have taken the chance to solve some issues that he has been dragging in this final part of the season. He went to surgery, so will not be available.

“Some more are out but we will keep it [quiet] for now.” – Nuno Espirito Santo

LUTON TOWN

Ross Barkley will miss out after he sustained a calf injury last weekend.

Reece Burke is also sidelined with an unspecified issue.

Issa Kabore (ankle), Amari’i Bell (hamstring), Jacob Brown (knee), Marvelous Nakamba (knee) and Tom Lockyer (health) remain out.

We await news on whether Dan Potts (hamstring) and Mads Andersen (calf) can feature on the final weekend.

SHEFFIELD UNITED

Mason Holgate returns after being ineligible to feature last weekend, while Anel Ahmedhodzic is back from a ban.

There were no questions asked about team news, however.

Ben Osborn is aiming to return from a minor hamstring injury, while Oli McBurnie (hamstring) had a chance of being fit for the final game the last we heard.

George Baldock (calf), Rhys Norrington-Davies (hamstring) and Chris Basham (leg) were all still sidelined in Gameweek 37, while Tom Davies (hamstring), John Egan (leg) and Daniel Jebbison (illness) have been back on the grass recently but may be held back for next season.

Ollie Arblaster and Andre Brooks should be fine after being taken off as precautions last weekend.

BURNLEY

Vincent Kompany didn’t offer us anything new on the team news front.

Luca Koleosho (knee) was thought to be the only long-term absentee who had a chance of making a return this season but time is running out on that.

Aaron Ramsey (knee), Ameen Al-Dakhil (unknown), Nathan Redmond (leg) and Jordan Beyer (muscle) are out longer term.