A dozen pre-Gameweek 6 press conferences will take place on Friday – and we’ll be bringing you the key Fantasy Premier League (FPL) team news here.
The latest on David Raya (£5.6m) will be keenly anticipated by Fantasy managers in particular.
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 Saturday’s deadline, there’s our FPL Gameweek 6 guide.
KEY TEAM NEWS UPDATES FROM FRIDAY
- Arsenal: Raya to be assessed over the next 24 hours, Timber trains, Merino close
- Manchester City: Rodri’s season over, De Bruyne still out
- Liverpool: Alisson could be ready to return, Slot on his attackers
- Tottenham Hotspur: Son to be given a chance to prove his fitness
- Newcastle United: Isak a doubt again, no one expected back
- Chelsea: Lavia available, James still out
- Aston Villa: Mings + Kamara to get minutes with the under-21s
- Brentford: Close call on Norgaard, Henry “progressing”
- Crystal Palace: Richards joins the injury list, Chalobah returns
- Wolverhampton Wanderers: Toti not fully fit, Mosquera’s season likely over, illness strikes
- Bournemouth: No fresh concerns, Adams the only absentee
- Ipswich Town: Phillips trains, McKenna almost has a fully fit squad
FRIDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
VIDEO ROUND-UP
ARSENAL
As predicted, we didn’t get a clear-cut update from Mikel Arteta on David Raya.
The goalkeeper was ruled out of the midweek cup win over Bolton Wanderers with a “thigh issue”, having hobbled out of the Etihad last Sunday.
“We have to wait another 24 hours. We have to wait 24 hours to see if it is looking good or not.
“It’s not [about] risk. It is about a player being fit and available or not. When we have that clarity for Leicester, which is the main thing that we are thinking at the moment, we will make a decision tomorrow.
“Yeah, sure [it’s fair to say he’s a doubt for tomorrow].” – Mikel Arteta on David Raya
Jurrien Timber and Ben White, also absent from the squad in the EFL Cup, seem to be fine, however.
White was only a substitute against City in Gameweek 5 due to the defender carrying an injury. Arteta was slightly less emphatic on his availability:
“Jurrien was able to take part in training today so that’s good news. He will be available in the squad.
“And Ben, hopefully as well.” – Mikel Arteta
Martin Odegaard (ankle) and Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf) will remain out for “weeks” yet. Mikel Merino (shoulder), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) and Kieran Tierney (hamstring) are also on the sidelines, although Merino trained partly on Friday.
“Tomorrow is too soon. The next week, we will see. He had partial training today. He’s been working so hard. It’s looking good, it’s just about the healing of the bone and how mature that is to expose him to contact, basically.” – Mikel Arteta on Mikel Merino
Tomiyasu is also partly training but Arteta said he was “a little bit behind” Merino.
Leandro Trossard and Murara Neto, suspended and ineligible for the EFL Cup third-round victory, are available in Gameweek 6.
MANCHESTER CITY
Pep Guardiola confirmed on Friday that Rodri‘s (knee) season is over.
“Surgery this morning, ACL and some meniscus, we think. Next season he will be here. This season is over.” – Pep Guardiola
Guardiola was asked if Rico Lewis inverting into midfield, something that happened when Rodri was not available at the start of 2024/25, was his “strongest solution” to life without the Spaniard.
“It is one of [the strongest solutions]. We have a few more. Gundo can play in that position, John Stones. John and Manu [Akanji] have played in that position, so we have alternatives to do it.” – Pep Guardiola
Kevin De Bruyne (muscle) will not be back for the trip to Newcastle United, meanwhile.
“No, [he’s not available]. I don’t know [when he’ll be back], before maybe the international break or after the international break. We’ll see.” – Pep Guardiola on Kevin De Bruyne
LIVERPOOL
Alisson could return from a muscle injury that forced him to miss out in Gameweek 5.
“We think he is [ready to return]. He trained yesterday a part of our session with the group, so we expect him to do the whole session today. So, we think he’s available but of course, we have to train today.” – Arne Slot on Alisson
Harvey Elliott (knee) is the only known absentee for the trip to Molineux.
Aside from team news, Slot was asked about his selection dilemma in attack with six players competing for three positions.
“That’s the positive thing about playing so many games, that these players will always play a lot of games. I think they understand that they can’t play every game, unless it’s absolutely necessary, to keep them fit and sharp, and to keep them ready to perform like they do.
“As long as they accept the situation as it is, and that’s what they’re doing at the moment because they have good numbers… then it’s a very positive thing for us.” – Arne Slot on his attacking options
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Son Heung-min is the only new concern from Thursday’s win over Qarabag.
The South Korea international needed treatment before being taken off in the second half, with Ange Postecoglou saying after full-time that he was a “bit tired”.
Facing the media again on Friday, Postecoglou said that Son would be assessed before Sunday’s clash but that there wasn’t a serious injury.
“I think apart from Sonny, everyone is OK. And Sonny, I don’t think it’s too bad. He wants to train tomorrow. So, we’ll obviously see how he goes at training tomorrow and make a decision from there.
“We’ve got another day up our sleeve to give him every chance.” – Ange Postecoglou on Son Heung-min
Richarlison (muscle) and Wilson Odobert (hamstring) remain out but Will Lankshear (hamstring) was back in the squad for Thursday’s UEFA Europa League tie.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Eddie Howe isn’t expecting anyone back for the visit of Manchester City.
Jamaal Lascelles (knee), Sven Botman (knee) and Lewis Miley (back) are out long term for the Magpies, while Callum Wilson (back) likely won’t return before the October international break.
And Newcastle have an ongoing concern over Alexander Isak. The Swede was a doubt for Gameweek 5 with a toe injury but played through the pain barrier against Fulham last weekend. However, the issue persists – and he hasn’t trained all week.
“In terms of fresh injuries, Alex is still nursing that toe problem.
“Yeah, he’s be a doubt for tomorrow, I think. He trained last week before the Fulham game on the Friday. He had an injection in his toe to play, he felt fine, but then he started to feel his toe in the last 5-10 minutes of that game. After the game, it sort of stiffened up. It wasn’t in a great place earlier in the week. So, he hasn’t trained yet. We will have to make a decision again as to whether he trains today or he misses the game.
“He’s had scans, he’s had lots of tests. The injury has been diagnosed fine – it sounds worse than it is, but he’s got a broken toe. But it’s one that can be managed and played with, provided he can tolerate the pain levels, and that will have no long-term risks. He had an injection to sort of numb the toe last week, and that was fine until the injection wore off. So, let’s see how he is today.” – Eddie Howe
Howe again talked up Anthony Gordon‘s prospects of leading the line if Isak misses out.
“I think Anthony, we’ve always viewed him as our third striker, in a sense.
“He’ll play differently, very differently, to Callum and Alex, because he’s not really your out-and-out line leader, but he’s very clever at what he does when he plays in that role.” – Eddie Howe
In a new one for the team news column, Matt Targett has struggled with eczema over the last fortnight and won’t be fit for the weekend.
“Matt Targett has had a flare-up of eczema so he’s been nursing that for the last couple of weeks, it’s been quite a bad episode for him. We’re hoping to get him back training today but he won’t be involved in the game.” – Eddie Howe
CHELSEA
Romeo Lavia (hamstring) will be available for selection for the first time since Gameweek 1.
Malo Gusto (thigh) returned to action in midweek, meanwhile, getting 45 minutes as planned in the win over Barrow.
Reece James (hamstring) and Omari Kellyman (hamstring) are still out, however.
“Romeo is available for tomorrow, the only one [out] is Reece.” – Enzo Maresca
Enzo Maresca again couldn’t put a return date on James’s comeback.
The Chelsea boss saw his second string turn in a convincing showing in the EFL Cup and has some welcome selection headaches this weekend.
“It’s good that I have the doubt, this means that they are doing well.” – Enzo Maresca
ASTON VILLA
Unai Emery revealed that long-term Villa absentees Tyrone Mings (knee) and Boubacar Kamara (knee) will start to get minutes with the under-21s next week, after their recent returns to training.
They should be involved with the senior squad after the October internationals.
“They are training very well. They started to be with us 100% completely during training sessions last week.
“And the plan with them is to try and start playing with our under-21s next week, 45 minutes. And, more or less, after the break they will be available, [should] everything go well, to be with us.” – Unai Emery on Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara
John McGinn (hamstring) has meanwhile joined the injury list.
There was no update on absentees Matty Cash (hamstring) or Jaden Philogene (unknown). Nor was there word on Diego Carlos, who dropped out of the midweek EFL Cup squad.
Emery was again asked about Jhon Duran‘s chances of starting after his recent cameos off the bench.
“It’s my challenge, as well, to try to get the best of him, playing as a striker, playing with Watkins as well. Some minutes he played and the idea is will play more being together. But now, like we are in the squad with the players, with our structure tactically, with the form of some players like him, I think the best thing we can feel is we will get good performances individually and collectively with those players.” – Unai Emery
BRENTFORD
Christian Norgaard will be assessed ahead of West Ham United’s visit to see if he can recover from a minor injury that kept him out of Gameweek 5.
“That’s going to be a close call. He has been training today and yesterday, so we need to see if it’s good enough to start the game.” – Thomas Frank on Christian Norgaard’s availability
Rico Henry (knee), Aaron Hickey (hamstring), Igor Thiago (knee), Josh Dasilva (knee), Yoane Wissa (ankle), Mathias Jensen (calf) and Gustavo Nunes (back) remain out for the Bees.
“Rico is progressing, he’s way closer to playing that Josh Dasilva but it’s not that he will be playing next week. It’s going forward.” – Thomas Frank
CRYSTAL PALACE
Chris Richards has joined the Crystal Palace injury list for a “few weeks” after suffering a hamstring injury.
Chadi Riad (knee) and Cheick Doucoure (toe) remain sidelined, too.
Matheus Franca (rib) and Trevoh Chalobah (abdominal) returned to training this week and are injury free, although Franca won’t be considered for selection in Gameweek 6 after so long out.
“[França and Chalobah] are available but França will not be in the squad [because] it was his first complete week with us. After almost six months, it would be unfair to him to be in the squad – but he did well, he feels well and he has no problems.
“Trevoh will be win the squad, he is available. Also we lost Chris Richards this week. He is not available for the next weeks, he has a hamstring injury.
“The other players who were available [are available]. It’s Cheick Doucouré and Chadi Riad who can’t play, but the others had a good week and we go with confidence into Liverpool.” – Oliver Glasner
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Yerson Mosquera has joined the long-term absentee list at Wolves.
The budget FPL defender was stretchered off with a serious knee injury in the loss to Aston Villa and his club said earlier this week that it was “highly unlikely” he would be seen again in 2024/25.
Bastien Meupiyou (unknown), Boubacar Traore (knee), Sasa Kalajdzic (knee) and Enso Gonzalez (knee) remain out, too.
Toti Gomes (hamstring) remains a doubt. He has trained but Gary O’Neil said on Friday he is “not fully fit”.
Illness has also hit the Wolves camp this week.
“Dr Kai [the club doctor] has been busy this week trying to help the lads feel a little bit better. Quite a few missed training today. We’ll see how we are tomorrow.” – Gary O’Neil
BOURNEMOUTH
Andoni Iraola has no fresh injury concerns for Monday’s game against Southampton.
As things stand, Tyler Adams (back) is the only member of Iraola’s squad who is unavailable.
“Right now it’s difficult because it’s still three days [to the game], so I don’t know what is going to happen.
“But right now everyone is available apart from Tyler, the rest have been training.” – Andoni Iraola
IPSWICH TOWN
Ipswich are nearly injury free.
Kalvin Phillips missed the draw with Southampton with only a “small” thigh injury, so he could return.
“Kalvin has trained with the group today, so we’ll make a judgement on how many minutes he’s available for.” – Kieran McKenna
Nathan Broadhead (hamstring) and Harry Clarke (Achilles) have been out all season but were back in training ahead of Gameweek 5 and effectively cleared to play, even though they didn’t feature.
“Nathan has been training well for the last week or so, so we’ve almost got a fully fit squad.” – Kieran McKenna
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