It should be a quiet day of Gameweek 28 team news as only four pre-match press conferences take place on Thursday.
The headline team news from these pressers is in the article below.
For the early injury situation at the other 16 Premier League clubs, read this piece here.
We’ll be back on Friday with a much busier day of injury updates from around the country.
GAMEWEEK 28 TEAM NEWS: THURSDAY’S INJURY UPDATES
- Fulham: Lukic suspended, Traore to be assessed, three still out
- Nottingham Forest: Nuno assessing players, Miguel the only known absentee
- Ipswich Town: Tuanzebe, Muric + Szmodics out, Hutchinson, Phillips + Enciso close
- Southampton: Saints welcome back a cluster of players, Bree out
GAMEWEEK 28 TEAM NEWS: THURSDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
🚨 Thursday’s #FPL Press Conferences (GMT)
🚜 1.30pm – McKenna
🌳 1.30pm – Nuno
😇 1.30pm – Juric
⬜️ 3pm – Silva pic.twitter.com/fX8csBkODQ— Fantasy Football Scout (@FFScout) March 6, 2025
FULHAM
Adama Traore will be assesed after twisting his ankle in the cup win over Manchester United. The winger has avoided serious injury, at least, and has trained individually on Thursday.
“Still working apart from the group. Good to see him there apart with Bruno [Mendes, Head of Performance] doing some individual work. Let’s see. We have another session tomorrow and we are going to take a decision on him but probably it’s too early to say yes or no.” – Marco Silva on Adama Traore
Reiss Nelson (hamstring), Kenny Tete (knee) and Harry Wilson (foot) remain on the Fulham injury list.
The Cottagers will also be without Sasa Lukic. The midfielder collected his 10th booking of the season last week, so begins a two-match Premier League ban.
“We are going to have Sasa out definitely for the next two games. Adama still a doubt and the other three they are they are in the same level of recovering. It’s nice to see Kenny already on the pitch doing some individual work too but Kenny, Harry Wilson and Reiss Nelson they are going to be out plus Sasha Lukic. Let’s see what is going to happen with Adama.” – Marco Silva
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Nuno Espirito Santo offered up his usual copy-and-paste comments when asked about the latest Forest team news on Thursday.
“Still recovering, still recovering. Better. It was a good day [on Monday night] so we recover better but still recovering. Still assessing players, yes.” – Nuno Espirito Santo
Back-up goalkeeper Carlos Miguel (hamstring) is the only player we’re aware of who is on the Forest injury list.
Nuno hinted later in the presser that nothing much has changed on the fitness front.
“We have a healthy squad and we’ve been able to keep our players healthy. This is very good for us in terms of options and solutions.” – Nuno Espirito Santo
IPSWICH TOWN
Axel Tuanzebe will miss the trip to Crystal Palace with the hamstring injury he sustained on Monday in the FA Cup. The defender also needs further thumb surgery, so looks set for a spell on the sidelines.
Cameron Burgess (calf) was another casualty of the penalty shootout defeat to Nottingham Forest. He is currently being assessed.
“Axel won’t be available for this weekend and Cameron Burgess is still be assessed.
“I don’t think [Tuanzebe’s issue] is as bad as the last time. He has a small muscle injury and he also needs an operation on his thumb from the injury before. So he’s going to have an operation in the next couple of days on that and that will take a period of recovery. He won’t be available this weekend and we’ll make assessments from there.”
“We have or two who may be able to rejoin the squad who weren’t involved on Monday night, and we’ll have one or two who were there on Monday night who won’t be available. And we’ve got a few who will be assessed tomorrow.” – Kieran McKenna, quoted in the EADT
It’s one in and one out on the goalkeeper front: Christian Walton (groin) is back but Ari Muric (shoulder) misses out.
Three players who sat out that cup tie are closing in on returns. Kieran McKenna said Omari Hutchinson (knee) and Julio Enciso (knee) were not too far away, while Kalvin Phillips (calf) trained on Thursday.
“Julio and Omari are not too far away from the squad. There’s going to be a real decision as to whether there’s any involvement for them this weekend.
“Kalvin trained today. He’s in a better place. Again, we’ll make a judgement.
“Christian is going to be in the squad this weekend hopefully. Aro has had an injection in his shoulder, he’s done really well to be available for the team to be honest over the last couple of weeks, but it’s got to the point where it needed to be addressed.” – Kieran McKenna, quoted in the EADT
Conor Chaplin (knee) and Sammie Szmodics (ankle) however have suffered recurrences of issues that have plagued them in recent weeks. Szmodics now needs ankle surgery and is set for a significant period on the sidelines.
“Conor Chaplin is still working by himself. Sam Szmodics has gone for an ankle operation, unfortunately. So he’s going to be out for an extended period of time. He originally suffered the injury in a tackle in the Fulham game, then had a recurrence of it in the Coventry game, then he had a recurrence of it after the Man United game. I don’t know the exact timescale, but it’s going to be a good number of weeks and if we see him again this season it will be in the last couple of fixtures.” – Kieran McKenna, quoted in the EADT
Wes Burns (knee) and Chiedozie Ogbene (Achilles) remain on the long-term injury list.
SOUTHAMPTON
Bar James Bree, who misses out after sustaining a hamstring issue in Gameweek 27, Ivan Juric says Southampton have no fresh injury concerns heading into the daunting trip to Anfield.
Kyle Walker-Peters (unknown) is fine after limping out of the defeat to Chelsea.
Saints also get loanee Lesley Ugochukwu back after he was ineligible to feature against his parent club.
Even Adam Lallana is available after overcoming a hamstring issue. Jan Bednarek has similarly recovered from “fatigue”.
Long-term absentees Juan Larios (unknown) and Ross Stewart (hamstring) recently made their comebacks for the under-21s.
That just leaves another forgotten man, Ryan Fraser (calf), who said recently that he hopes to be available soon.
“We are all good. Only James Bree is out.” – Ivan Juric
