The 12 remaining pre-Gameweek 1 manager press conferences take place today – and we’ll be bringing you the key Fantasy Premier League (FPL) team news updates here.
This is a ‘live’ article, so it’ll be updated as and when manager quotes become available. Keep refreshing for the latest news!
For the headlines from the eight pressers held already, read our Thursday round-up here.
And for everything else you may need ahead of the big Premier League kick-off, there’s our epic FPL 2024/25 pre-season guide and the Gameweek 1 guide.
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KEY TEAM NEWS UPDATES FROM FRIDAY
- Manchester City: Pep confirms extent of Bobb’s injury, late returnees could feature
- Liverpool: Everyone fit for Gameweek 1
- Arsenal: Tomiyasu + Tierney out, Vieira a doubt, Timber available
- Newcastle United: Wilson among five ruled out, Howe hopeful on Schar
- Chelsea: James suspended and injured but no other fitness concerns
- Crystal Palace: Eagles almost fully fit, Franca out with rib injury
- Bournemouth: Three definitely out, some illness reported, Evanilson could feature
- Wolverhampton Wanderers: Cunha + Larsen fit, Semedo banned
- Brentford: Toney available
- Ipswich Town: Szmodics set to be involved
- Leicester City: Daka out for months, Vardy not too far away
FRIDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
MANCHESTER CITY
Pep Guardiola has confirmed the extent of Oscar Bobb‘s leg injury, saying that the winger will have surgery today and be out for 3-4 months.
Otherwise, City look in decent nick for the trip to Chelsea.
“Everybody is back. Except Oscar, the rest are OK.” – Pep Guardiola
He neglected to mention that Rodri, however, later explaining that he is yet to see his Spain international train. The midfielder suffered a hamstring injury in the European Championship final.
“Yeah, he feels… I don’t know, he didn’t train. I didn’t see him yet. I think he feels good but he has to return to training. We’ll see when he starts to move his body, how does he feel.
“No, no chance [of Sunday].” – Pep Guardiola on Rodri
Phil Foden, John Stones and Kyle Walker could be involved in some capacity, despite only returning to training this week and not getting any post-Euros friendly minutes.
“I don’t know. Just two or three training sessions. They arrive fit, in good shape. So, today in the professional world the players take care even in the holidays. So, yeah, we will see. Today, tomorrow and Sunday, we will see the line-up. But I’m pretty sure they will be ready, maybe not for 90 minutes, maybe yes, maybe for a few minutes.” – Pep Guardiola on his England internationals
LIVERPOOL
Arne Slot confirmed in his Friday morning press conference that everyone was fit for the trip to Ipswich Town.
It was a fairly brief presser from the new Liverpool boss but there were a couple of pull-out quotes, including the squad’s current readiness.
“How far are we? I think I’ve said many times already that we are not changing everything. Actually, we don’t change that much because many things were really good.
“Then where are we? I think it would be perfect after 4-6 weeks of pre-season to be already close to perfection, which is very difficult to reach. Some of them have only been in for 10-12 days. But like I said, many things have stayed the same and the players have stayed the same, as well.
“We are ready for the game tomorrow.” – Arne Slot
Slot also gave us his opinion on Trent Alexander-Arnold.
“I think a position for a player is always related to the team. It’s also my aim to bring the best out of the player but the first aim is to bring the best out of the team. It helps if you also bring the best out of the player.
“Trent is known for playing the right full-back for all his life, I think. When he was a youngster he played in midfield. In the modern game you see a lot of full-backs going into the midfield, that is what he did last season once in a while. I saw him playing at the Euros in midfield.
“So I think he’s capable of playing both positions really good, and then it’s up to me where I think he could help the team the most.” – Arne Slot on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s best position
ARSENAL
Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) and forgotten man Kieran Tierney (hamstring) are the only Gunners definitely out of Gameweek 1.
Fabio Vieira will have to be assessed, however, having sat out last Sunday’s win over Sevilla with a hip problem.
Jurrien Timber did miss the final three of the Gunners’ friendlies but Arteta has declared him available for selection.
“Jurrien will be in the squad tomorrow. Obviously he had a really tough period but he used it in a great way I think because he’s managed to get a lot of things done and improved in many areas except playing. He found it really helpful I think and now he’s ready and he has a chance.” – Mikel Arteta
NEWCASTLE UNITED
The news that we were expecting came in Eddie Howe’s press conference.
Callum Wilson, who we knew was a major doubt for Gameweek 1 with a back injury, was ruled out of the clash with Southampton. He won’t be out for too much longer, though.
“Callum will be the early season, a couple of games in I think. He’s making really good progress, he feels really good and wants to push a bit faster but we’re just trying to manage his comeback.” – Eddie Howe
Howe however hopes Fabian Schar (ankle) will be OK following his withdrawal in Friday’s win over Girona.
“Yeah, we’re hopeful Fabian will be OK. He felt the effects of the tackle earlier in the week but fingers crossed he’ll be fine.” – Eddie Howe
Jamaal Lascelles (knee), Sven Botman (knee) and Lewis Miley (back) are out longer term, the first two potentially until the end of 2024.
Matt Targett (Achilles) is closer to a return following his extended lay-off: the defender has started training with the Magpies.
Meanwhile, Sandro Tonali‘s 10-month ban is nearing an end but he won’t be available until Gameweek 3.
“I think we’re definitely in a better position than we were for the majority of last season and certainly towards the back-end of last season.
“We’ve got Nick Pope back fully fit – touch wood with all of these because we’ve still got training before we play! Joe Willock is in a lot better place, I wouldn’t say he’s 100% match fit – he’s had two games and trained well – but he’s certainly on the road to being the Joe Willock that we all know and love. Several other players who I think are in a lot better physical condition than last year.
“But we still have the legacy of the injuries from last year, the long-term ones of Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman. We lost Callum Wilson during the early stages of pre-season, he’s a huge miss. Lewis Miley. Matt Targett is making his early steps back, he’s trained this week, which has been brilliant.” – Eddie Howe
Elsewhere, Howe may have been referring to Anthony Gordon and Kieran Trippier in the below quote.
“I think there are a couple of players who are still a little bit away from their optimal levels having come back later.” – Eddie Howe
CHELSEA
Enzo Maresca confirmed that Reece James (hamstring), who is suspended for the first three matches anyway, is the only Chelsea player on the injury list at present.
Conor Gallagher won’t be involved, however, with his future seemingly away from the club.
Pedro Neto will be in the squad following his move. Maresca said the winger has only had a few days of training but added that his physical condition was “good”.
CRYSTAL PALACE
There’s little to report from Crystal Palace, with Oliver Glasner passing almost everyone fit.
The exception is Matheus Franca, who has fractured a rib and will be out for “weeks”.
Marc Guehi, subject of transfer bids from Newcastle United, has trained and is set to feature on Sunday according to his manager.
BOURNEMOUTH
Andoni Iraola said he was hopeful that the deal to sign Evanilson would be concluded in time for the striker to travel to Nottingham Forest.
“I really don’t know.
“I think we still have three hours before we have to make the registration. I think it’s not finished now but we will see.” – Andoni Iraola on whether Evanilson will be registered in time to face Nottingham Forest
Iraola also commented on £4.5m FPL forward Daniel Jebbison – who may yet go out on loan.
“He’s been very good in pre-season, he’s been fighting. A little bit what we I told you this last week. We have delayed every decision because right now we have Enes out. He’s also a very important player for us. We will make decisions further, we don’t have a lot of days! There is a part where you have to think of him, there’s a part where you have to think about the team. We will try to arrive at the best solution with him but I am really happy with his attitude, with his performances in pre-season.” – Andoni Iraola on Daniel Jebbison
In terms of team news, there are no fresh injuries for the Cherries.
Iraola confirmed that only three players are definitely sidelined this weekend.
Those three are David Brooks (shoulder), Enes Unal (toe) and Tyler Adams (back), who are all recovering from medium-to-long-term injuries.
Illness could yet rule one or two others out, however.
“The three players with surgeries that we have, you know that they are going to be out: Brooksy, Enes and Tyler. We don’t have more big injuries, we have had one or two players with some illness during the week. I don’t know if they will arrive or not. But we don’t have any other injuries, no.” – Andoni Iraola
Murara Neto (back) missed the final pre-season friendly against Girona as a precaution, while Marcos Senesi (head) came off early – but Iraola reassured worries on that front by saying it wasn’t a concussion. It is assumed that, based on the above quote, both players are fine for Gameweek 1 – unless they’re ill!
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Gary O’Neil passed Matheus Cunha fit on Friday.
The Brazilian has sat out the last three friendlies but has returned to training this week and is in line for a Gameweek 1 return in some capacity.
Jorgen Strand Larsen has also shrugged off a minor groin injury he played through last weekend. Daniel Podence (calf) is fit, too.
Nelson Semedo is banned for the first three matches of the season, however, after being dismissed on the final day of 2023/24.
Leon Chiwome suffered an ankle injury in April and hasn’t featured since, while Enso Gonzalez sustained a serious knee injury in July while representing Paraguay at the Olympics.
BRENTFORD
Thomas Frank confirmed that Ivan Toney is available for selection, despite ongoing speculation over his future.
Igor Thiago (knee) and Josh Dasilva (knee) are out, while news is awaited on Rico Henry (knee) and Aaron Hickey (hamstring) as they near returns from long-term lay-offs.
IPSWICH TOWN
Kieran McKenna confirmed on Friday that he expects new signing Sammie Szmodics to be in tomorrow’s squad.
George Hirst (knee), Nathan Broadhead (hamstring) and Harry Clarke (Achilles) are out injured, however.
LEICESTER CITY
Patson Daka has had an operation on the ankle injury he picked up against Lens last week and will be out for a “few months”.
Steve Cooper added that Jamie Vardy is still “a little while away” but is towards the end of his rehab.
Luke Thomas has returned to full fitness but Conor Coady is out for a month with a hamstring injury.
“Patson [Daka] obviously is not great news. He suffered quite a serious ankle injury last week in the game at Lens and he is going to be out for a good few months. He’s having an operation today (Friday). That’s really unfortunate for him because he was looking good in pre-season.
“Vards, similarly, he’s been injured since the second week of pre-season now, when we were on one of our pre-season camps. He’s closer to returning but it will be a little while, I guess, although he’s itching to get back. So, it’s not great at that end of the pitch.
“He’s right at the latter stages of rehab now and just making sure he can fight past those final stages before he fully returns. With experience and age a little bit, he really understands his body and he knows what it takes.
“I won’t be the first injury he’s recovered from or even played with. He knows his body and he will have a big say in that process of returning. We’ll work together with him.” – Steve Cooper
Back-up goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk (ankle) was ruled out for six months in pre-season.
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