With yellow flags littering the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) landscape, the pre-Gameweek 10 press conferences are going to be an important listen.
Not that the managers are always helpful on the team news front…
Seven pressers are scheduled to take place on Thursday. Interim Manchester United boss Ruud van Nistelrooy is among the names we’re expecting to hear from.
We’ll have the headline updates from these media gatherings in the article below. We will gradually add more quotes as and when the press conferences become available to watch in full.
We expect the other 13 top-flight managers to hold pressers on Friday.
GAMEWEEK 10 TEAM NEWS: THURSDAY’S INJURY UPDATES
- Everton: McNeil has “got a chance”, Doucoure being assessed, four still sidelined
- Nottingham Forest: Nuno non-committal on Wood, Gibbs-White and others
- Brighton and Hove Albion: Pedro + O’Riley back in training, Hurzeler hopeful on Kadioglu
- Manchester United: No injury news in van Nistelrooy’s presser
- Brentford: Ajer “progressing well”, five still out
- West Ham United: Kudus still banned, Fullkrug still injured
- Leicester City: Kristiansen fit, Daka back in training, Fatawu a doubt
GAMEWEEK 10 TEAM NEWS: THURSDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
EVERTON
Dwight McNeil has “got a chance” of featuring against Southampton this weekend, although his current involvement in training is with the physios and not the rest of the squad.
The in-form winger limped out of the draw with Fulham last weekend after taking a knock to the knee.
“Dwight’s got a chance. We’re hopeful, he’s done a bit of work with the physio team today. So, we’re hopeful on him.” – Sean Dyche
Abdoulaye Doucoure is in a similar boat.
“Douc, as well, had a situation but he’s been out on the grass today, so we’ll see how that reacts tomorrow.” – Sean Dyche
Youssef Chermiti (foot), Armando Broja (foot), James Garner (back) and Tim Iroegbunam (foot) remain out for the Toffees.
“Jimmy Garner is very unfortunate, he has got a longer-term injury. I mentioned last week about getting an assessment from the specialist, they have advised a period to slow him down and take him off the grass. So we will have to wait and see on that one, but it’s going to be weeks, it’s not going to be days. It’s a back injury that we have to be careful with.
“From here, a number of weeks. It’s going to be beyond a month, I am pretty sure of that. And with Tim having a stress bone in his foot, that’s another challenge – two young good midfield players out for us.
“[Broja] is working hard, his stats are good but he’s still with the sports science team. The crossover will start to occur maybe next week when he starts the light stuff with us – warm-ups and possession games. Then that builds into a journey back to playing. But he’s been out a fair while, so will have to have some games in there as well.” – Sean Dyche
Away from injury, Dominic Calvert-Lewin may be looking over his shoulder after Beto‘s goal last week.
Having spoken at length about the two last weekend, Dyche didn’t really give any clues as to who’ll get the nod this weekend.
“It builds belief and confidence in all players as a team when you’re winning but strikers if you’re winning or you’re getting points from their goals, it’s bound to bring a real feelgood factor. That sense of involvement, sense of being part of it all.
“Like all here he’s had his question marks but he’s continuing to learn, he keeps working hard on the training ground, trained very well again today. So, he’s showing signs that he’s fit, he’s available and he wants to play.” – Sean Dyche on Beto’s Gameweek 9 goal
Nor did he indicate whether Jarrad Branthwaite would get a recall at Michael Keane‘s expense.
“Jarrad had a real strong season last season with Tarky, and then Keano is having a strong start to this season and doing well. Tarko being his solid self that he is. Jake [O’Brien] is also in the pack because he’s shown signs particularly through training and his development, so it’s a good for I think.” – Sean Dyche on his centre-halves
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Loanee James Ward-Prowse is ineligible this weekend, as he can’t face his parent club.
Danilo (ankle) and Ibrahima Sangare (hamstring) meanwhile are thought to remain sidelined.
Elsewhere, Morgan Gibbs-White (ankle) and Chris Wood (foot) were flagged going into Nuno Espirito Santo’s press conference.
The Forest boss, as ever, was keeping his cards close to his chest – and even added Elliot Anderson and Jota to his list of potential doubts.
“Yeah, we have some issues. Still assessing, still one day to go. It is always the same after a period of the season and some matches, hard ones. Players get knocks and all these things, injuries. Players coming back, we have to assess them tomorrow.
“[Morgan Gibbs-White] is one of the players inside that group that we have to assess and see how he is.
“[Chris Wood] also, and Elliot [Anderson], and Jota. People who have knocks.” – Nuno Espirito Santo
The subterfuge is slightly undermined by Tuesday’s opening training session. Gibbs-White and Anderson were the only notable absentees, with the latter said to be doing a recovery session.
Nuno even perhaps gave the game away later in the presser, naming only those two.
“James is not available, Danilo is out, Ibrahim Sangare is out also. So, we are short on numbers. We have Elliot and Morgan to assess and decide. Important players for us. Problems that we have to find solutions [for].” – Nuno Espirito Santo
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
Joao Pedro (ankle) and, sooner than expected, Matt O’Riley (ankle) are back in training and could feature at Anfield.
Pedro hasn’t been involved since Gameweek 5, while O’Riley was injured just nine minutes into his debut in the EFL Cup second round.
Fabian Hurzeler is also hopeful that Ferdi Kadioglu will recover from the issue that forced him off in midweek.
“We have to see also Matt O’Riley, he’s back in training, when he will be ready potentially to be in the squad. Also Joao Pedro will be back.
“Some players will be back on the pitch and I think with Ferdi it’s not that bad. Hopefully he will be also option for Saturday.
“We have to see now how [Joao is], coming back after a long injury, if he will be an option but he’s back in training.” – Fabian Hurzeler
Lewis Dunk (calf) meanwhile continues to be assessed. Media reports suggest he’s out for weeks but Hurzeler hasn’t confirmed that timeline to date.
“We have to see how Lewis [Dunk] is today.” – Fabian Hurzeler
Yankuba Minteh (muscle) is reportedly close to a return but we didn’t get an update on him on Thursday.
Adam Webster (hamstring) and James Milner (hamstring) do remain out, while Solly March (knee) is injury-free but being handled carefully after such a lengthy lay-off.
MANCHESTER UNITED
As is often the case when a new manager (interim or otherwise) hosts their inaugural pre-match press conference, questions over injuries were in short supply at Carrington.
The expectation is that Ruud van Nistelrooy is merely holding the fort for Ruben Amorim – not that the Dutchman wants to discuss the seemingly inbound head coach:
Kobbie Mainoo (muscle), Harry Maguire (muscle), Leny Yoro (foot), Tyrell Malacia (knee), Luke Shaw (calf), Mason Mount (knock/head) and Antony (ankle/foot) were all on the sidelines for Wednesday’s win over Leicester City.
Christian Eriksen joined that list, according to the club website.
Noussair Mazraoui shrugged off a Gameweek 9 injury to feature, however.
BRENTFORD
Thomas Frank says that Kristoffer Ajer could make a swift return for Monday night’s derby against Fulham.
The defender missed the Bees’ last two games in all competitions with a minor foot injury but has already returned to training.
“Kristoffer Ajer is progressing well.
“Ajer has got a good chance, yeah.
“He trained with the team today.” – Thomas Frank
Frank also confirmed that Christian Nørgaard is available for selection. The Dane was merely rested for Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup tie with Sheffield Wednesday.
Rico Henry (knee), Igor Thiago (knee) and Gustavo Nunes (back) are nearing returns but remain sidelined.
Aaron Hickey (hamstring) and Josh Dasilva (knee) are longer-term absentees.
WEST HAM UNITED
Julen Lopetegui confirmed on Friday that Niclas Fullkrug (Achilles) remains on the injury list.
“No, unfortunately, Fullkrug is not ready to play. He’s working his recovery. We don’t have, to be clear, one date for his recovery. He’s trying to do medical stuff too so let’s see what’s going to happen but he’s out – definitely.” – Julen Lopetegui
Mohammed Kudus is still serving a three-match ban following his Gameweek 8 red card.
There were no further questions asked of Lopetegui regarding his goalkeeper selection. Lukasz Fabianski, priced at £4.0m in FPL, got the nod last weekend.
The West Ham boss was, however, quizzed about his half-time formation and personnel changes in Gameweek 9. There wasn’t much to take from his response.
“Each match is different. In this match, we decided this because we were thinking that it was better for us. But each match is different, so let’s see what we are going to do in the next match.
“I am not going to talk about individual players or the line-up for the next match.” – Julen Lopetegui
LEICESTER CITY
Abdul Fatawu is a doubt for the weekend’s clash with Ipswich Town. Steve Cooper clarified that the winger was unavailable for the cup tie against Manchester United in midweek due to a groin issue.
The Foxes are waiting on the results of a scan.
Elsewhere, Patson Daka (ankle) is back in training after months on the sidelines. Hamza Choudhury (shoulder) was likewise back on the grass earlier this week.
Victor Kristiansen has also shaken off the groin injury that led to his no-show in Gameweek 9.
With Jannik Vestergaard (ankle) coming through his cup comeback unscathed, Jakub Stolarczyk (ankle) is the only confirmed absentee.
“We’re waiting on a scan [for Fatawu]. Unfortunately, he picked up a little bit of pain in his groin in the build-up to United. So, it certainly ruled him out of that game. We’ll see what the scan brings. Hopefully it’s positive news in terms of when he’ll be back. Like with Victor [Kristiansen], when you send players for a scan, you fear the worse and hope for the best.
“[Kristiansen] is back training. He trained this morning for the first time. Pato is back in training as well, so that’s positive. We’ve got a young guy, Michael Golding, training with us too. He’s a good young player. He had a spell out, he’s back in training. You saw Jannik return last night as well to the pitch. Apart from Abdul, on that front, at the moment, it’s fairly positive.” – Steve Cooper
