There’s Gameweek 29 team news from 13 Premier League managers to wade through on Friday.
As usual, we’ll bring you the key Fantasy Premier League (FPL) injury updates on this page.
Not only that but Eddie Howe and Arne Slot will also face the media ahead of Sunday’s EFL Cup final. The latest on Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.5m) will feature on this page, too.
This is a ‘live’ article, so it’ll be updated as and when manager quotes become available – so keep refreshing for the latest news.
For the headlines from the three press conferences held already, read our Thursday round-up here.
GAMEWEEK 29: FRIDAY’S KEY TEAM NEWS UPDATES
- Arsenal: Saka latest, Arteta on Martinelli + White
- Manchester City: No team news updates from Pep
- Chelsea: Sanchez to start, Jackson + Madueke still out
- Manchester United: Mount could be on the bench, Maguire may return
- Tottenham Hotspur: Four out but no fresh worries from Thursday
- Bournemouth: Zabarnyi back from ban, Senesi + Araujo train, no new worries
- Wolverhampton Wanderers: Munetsi passed fit, no fresh concerns
- Brighton and Hove Albion: Dunk, Veltman + O’Riley still out, Lamptey returns
- Everton: Broja could be involved but four still sidelined
- Fulham: Lukic still banned, three out, Adama could return
- Ipswich Town: Six expected to miss out, no fresh concerns
- Southampton: Bednarek out due to concussion protocol, Smallbone injured
- Leicester City: Fully fit squad apart from long-term absentee Fatawu
EFL CUP FINAL: KEY TEAM NEWS UPDATES
- Liverpool: Alexander-Arnold back “in the end of the season”, Konate expected to train
- Newcastle United: Gordon banned, no injuries other than long-term ones, Isak on his fitness
GAMEWEEK 29: FRIDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
🚨 Friday's FPL Press Conferences!
🕊️ 9am – Hurzeler
🦊 11am – van Nistelrooy
🔵 12.30pm – Guardiola
⭕️ 1pm – Arteta
🍒 1pm – Iraola
🐓 1pm – Postecoglou
🐺 1pm – Pereira
🍬 1.30pm – Moyes
⬜️ 1.30pm – Silva
🚜 1.30pm – McKenna
😇 1.30pm – Juric
➕ Maresca + Amorim embargoed from… pic.twitter.com/4YQfBOnWhj— Fantasy Football Scout (@FFScout) March 14, 2025
*Howe and Slot are at 9am and 10am respectively
ARSENAL
Mikel Arteta gave us the latest on Bukayo Saka (hamstring) in Friday’s presser.
“He’s getting closer. He’s stepping up and making very good progress, I would say. Let’s see when we decide to throw him in with the team, how he reacts and how fit he can get quickly” – Mikel Arteta on Bukayo Saka
Two players Arteta has welcomed back in recent weeks, Ben White and Gabriel Martinelli, were also discussed.
“He’s been now involved for the last two weeks almost and he’s not reacting so that’s very positive. We know Ben is a really important player for us, it brings something very different to the team dynamic and I’m thrilled to have him.” – Mikel Arteta on Ben White
“Well, with Gabby now we have more options but it’s true that we have to really manage the load and it’s been a little bit ahead of the schedule. That’s why we didn’t want to take, and wouldn’t want to take any more risk with him, loading him with more minutes.” – Mikel Arteta on Gabriel Martinelli
Gabriel Jesus (knee), Kai Havertz (hamstring) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) are out for the season, while the Gunners won’t be able to count on loanee Raheem Sterling this weekend as he can’t face his parent club.
MANCHESTER CITY
There was no team news update from Pep Guardiola on Friday.
We do know that Nathan Ake (foot), Manuel Akanji (groin) and John Stones (adductor) are on the medium-term injury list. None of them are expected back until close to the season’s end.
Rodri (knee) has been back in individual training but City are looking more towards the end of the season for a playing return.
Oscar Bobb (leg/ankle) should be back sooner: he played for the development squad on Thursday.
Ederson has mysteriously been withdrawn from the Brazil squad, so we await to see if there is any medical reason for that.
CHELSEA
Enzo Maresca confirmed that Robert Sanchez will be between the posts against Arsenal this weekend.
“Yes, it will be Robert playing against Arsenal.
“Since we started, the idea was not to change ‘keeper but sometimes you have to modify, you have to be flexible with your idea. We do this in the game plan, we do this the way we want to attack and the way we want to defend, but also we need to be flexible with players.
“I think Robert needed some days off or at least rest with his head, mentally. Now he’s back, hopefully we are not going to change again till the end.” – Enzo Maresca on his goalkeepers
As for the injury news, Marc Guiu (hamstring), Nicolas Jackson (hamstring) and Noni Madueke (hamstring) remain out.
Malo Gusto, who missed out in Gameweek 28 despite Maresca saying he would “probably” be available, was also still sidelined ahead of Chelsea’s win over FC Copenhagen on Thursday.
Mykhailo Mudryk is still provisionally banned by the Football Association.
Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia are fine: they weren’t involved against Copenhagen as neither are registered for the UEFA Conference League.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Patrick Dorgu completes a domestic suspension after his straight red card in Gameweek 27. This is match three of a three-game ban.
Leny Yoro (foot) joined the injury list this week and will also miss out in Gameweek 29.
Kobbie Mainoo (calf), Jonny Evans (back), Luke Shaw (hamstring), Altay Bayindir (unknown) and Tom Heaton (unknown) remain sidelined, while Amad Diallo (ankle) and Lisandro Martinez (knee) are out for the longer term.
There is some good news.
Firstly, Manuel Ugarte (knock) returned to the squad for Thursday’s Europa League tie against Real Sociedad.
And now Mason Mount (hamstring), who was back in training this week, could be on the bench in Gameweek 29.
“I think he is going to [be on] the bench. We will see, but we need every player and if he is fit, I am going to play him. He cannot play too many minutes, just five minutes of Mason Mount is perfect.” – Ruben Amorim on Mason Mount
Harry Maguire (knock) could also be back.
“With the different competitions, we have to rotate. We are risking some players. For example, Casemiro, he was so tired.
“We didn’t want to risk Ugarte. Because [Thursday] was a decision: in one competition, Ugarte wanted to stay here. We have Mason Mount who will return really slow, Kobbie [Mainoo] will maybe return in a few weeks, I don’t know for sure.
“Harry Maguire, who we tried not to risk, we will see for Sunday.” – Ruben Amorim
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Kevin Danso (hamstring) was added to the injury list this week.
Radu Dragusin (knee) is out for the season, while Richarlison (calf) and Dejan Kulusevski (foot) remain sidelined until after the international break.
“Yeah, pretty good in terms of nothing from last night. Everyone got through it well. No one coming back in [from injury].” – Ange Postecoglou
Ben Davies returned from a brief lay-off to make an appearance as a substitute on Thursday.
BOURNEMOUTH
The Cherries have no fresh concerns for the visit of Brentford.
“I don’t think we have had any new injuries during the week. The players that were available the past week will be available for this game also.” – Andoni Iraola
In further good news, Illia Zabarnyi returns after serving the final match of his three-match ban last week.
Marcos Senesi (quad) and Julian Araujo (hamstring) are back in training, too, although Gameweek 29 may come too soon.
Adam Smith (hamstring/calf) and Enes Unal (knee) remain out.
Ryan Christie is continuing to play through a groin issue but remains available for selection for now.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
The one concern from Gameweek 28, goalscorer Marshall Munetsi, has been passed fit.
“He’s okay for the game, he’s training with the team and he’s ready to help.” – Vitor Pereira on Marshall Munetsi
Wolves boss Vitor Pereira also said there are no fresh worries for the trip to Southampton.
Sasa Kalajdzic (knee), Yerson Mosquera (knee), Leon Chiwome (knee) and Enso Gonzalez (knee) are on the longer-term injury list.
Matheus Cunha is into game two of his three-match ban for violent conduct – and his punishment may be more severe than that after the Football Association charged the Wolves forward with misconduct last Wednesday.
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
There is no change to the Brighton injury situation.
Lewis Dunk (ribs), Joel Veltman (foot) and Matt O’Riley (knee) are all still out, with Fabian Hurzeler hopeful that the upcoming international break will be of benefit to their recoveries.
“He’s getting closer but he’s still not an option. So, hopefully he can use the international break so that he will be back for the game against Nottingham.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Lewis Dunk
“No, nothing new, so it stays the same.
“Matt O’Riley still has a little bit of a problem with his knee, so he won’t be an option for tomorrow, but also he can use the international break quite good to be an option for Nottingham.” – Fabian Hurzeler
James Milner (hamstring), Ferdi Kadioglu (toe), Igor Julio (hamstring) and Jason Steele (shoulder) are on the longer-term injury list.
Tariq Lamptey does at least return from a one-match ban this weekend.
EVERTON
Armando Broja (ankle) could return to Everton’s matchday squad for Saturday’s clash with West Ham United.
The Albanian striker has been sidelined since early January but has trained this week.
“[Broja] is in and around it. It’s a bit like Youssef [Chermiti] and Seamus [Coleman], who have had another five or six days of training, whereas Broja is just back in amongst it. He’s just getting closer but hopefully we’ll be able to get him on the bench for tomorrow’s game.” – David Moyes
Iliman Ndiaye (knee), Orel Mangala (knee), Dominic Calvert–Lewin (hamstring) and Dwight McNeil (knee) remain out.
FULHAM
Sasa Lukic serves the second game of a two-match ban for collecting 10 bookings this season.
Reiss Nelson (hamstring), Kenny Tete (knee) and Harry Wilson (foot) also remain on the Fulham injury list.
Marco Silva said Tete could return in “2-3 weeks”.
Adama Traore could be back, however. The winger sat out Gameweek 28 after twisting his ankle in the cup win over Manchester United but Silva said on Friday that Traore had been reintegrated in training this week.
“The last two days he has been more involved with the squad. Today he had a normal session, let’s see how he is going to react. We have another session tomorrow and after we are going to take a decision on Adama.” – Marco Silva on Adama Traore
IPSWICH TOWN
Wes Burns (knee), Chiedozie Ogbene (Achilles) and Sammie Szmodics (ankle) are all on the medium-to-long-term injury list.
Axel Tuanzebe (hamstring/thumb) and Ari Muric (shoulder) are expected to remain out, too.
Conor Chaplin (knee) is still working “individually”, so also looks set to miss this one.
Omari Hutchinson, Julio Enciso and Kalvin Phillips all came through their Gameweek 28 comebacks unscathed, at least.
Kieran McKenna also said he had no fresh concerns going into this weekend.
SOUTHAMPTON
Jan Bednarek has to observe the concussion protocol after coming off with a head injury last weekend, so will miss out in Gameweek 29.
Will Smallbone has also joined the injury list with a groin issue.
James Bree (hamstring) and Ryan Fraser (calf) were the only other Saints players we knew of who were injured going into the defeat to Liverpool. We await the latest on them.
Long-term absentees Juan Larios (unknown) and Ross Stewart (hamstring) recently made their comebacks for the under-21s.
LEICESTER CITY
Ruud van Nistelrooy confirmed on Friday that Leicester have no fresh injury concerns heading into Gameweek 29.
The Foxes have a fully fit squad apart from Abdul Fatawu (knee), who is out for the season.
Leicester welcomed back Ricardo Pereira from a four-month absence last weekend, with the defender impressing in a late cameo.
“Really good, he came on [against Chelsea]… we changed the structure in the last 10 minutes to push for a goal even more. As an inverted full-back, his the role in the midfield, he made us play forward, created some chances, dangerous situations from that play, so it’s great to have him back.
“He can play wing-back in a five but he can also play in a four and be inverted.” – Ruud van Nistelrooy on Ricardo Pereira
LIVERPOOL
We didn’t get an exact timeline on Trent Alexander-Arnold (ankle) following his midweek injury but Arne Slot’s comments on Friday didn’t sound very positive, with the Liverpool boss talking in terms of the “end of the season”.
“Trent is indeed not available. He will not be there at the final. He’s still to be assessed for how long it’s going to take but we do expect him back in the end of the season.” – Arne Slot on Trent Alexander-Arnold
Ibrahima Konate also hobbled out of Tuesday’s loss to Paris Saint-Germain but Slot said at the time that he thought the Frenchman was more fatigued.
The Liverpool boss expects Konate to train on Friday.
“What about Ibou Konate? We didn’t train yesterday, we were a day off, and the day before was recovery. I expect him to train with us today but let’s see how he is.” – Arne Slot on Ibrahima Konate
Joe Gomez (hamstring), Tyler Morton (shoulder) and Conor Bradley (muscle) are still out but Cody Gakpo (ankle) returned in midweek.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Lewis Hall (foot), Sven Botman (knee) and Jamaal Lascelles (knee) are all on the longer-term injury list.
Anthony Gordon is also still serving a three-match ban following his dismissal for violent conduct in the FA Cup fifth round. He’ll be back in Gameweek 31.
Other than those four, though, Eddie Howe hopes to have everyone fit for Sunday’s clash at Wembley.
“Of course, the long term are the long term now. So, Lewis Hall is recovering after his operation. Sven is recovering after his operation. Jamaal, still making progress to come back. Anthony, suspended. Apart from that, we hope to have a full squad.” – Eddie Howe
It wasn’t just Howe facing the media but Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes, too.
The Swedish striker gave a little update on his own fitness after recent scares.
“I feel good. It’s probably been put out a bit more dramatic than it’s been. I haven’t been injured, I’ve just had a little bit of tightness, which can be normal when you play a lot of games. But yeah, I feel good and really excited for the game.” – Alexander Isak
