After the five pre-match press conferences yesterday, a further nine Gameweek 34 pressers will take place on Friday.
Nuno Espirito Santo, whose Nottingham Forest side aren’t in league action until next Thursday, will also face the media ahead of the FA Cup semi-finals.
All the injury updates will appear in this ‘live’ article, which will be regularly refreshed during the day.
Of the 16 Premier League teams who have a fixture in Gameweek 34, we won’t get team news from one of them before Saturday’s FPL deadline. That club is Brentford, who face Forest next week.
We’ll nevertheless round up what we know about the Bees in this piece.
GAMEWEEK 34: FRIDAY’S KEY TEAM NEWS UPDATES
- Liverpool: Slot on Alexander-Arnold v Bradley, Gomez latest
- Newcastle United: Howe hopeful on Schar, Botman back in training
- Chelsea: Gusto injured, Guiu 1-2 weeks away, Lavia to be managed like James
- Tottenham Hotspur: Son trains but not ready to return, no fresh worries
- Manchester United: Dalot out, de Ligt + Amad nearing comebacks
- Wolverhampton Wanderers: Sa fit, Hwang + Bellegarde expected to feature
- Brighton and Hove Albion: Pedro ban, van Hecke out, Mitoma fit to start, Veltman an ‘option’
- Everton: Tarkowski’s season over, DCL latest, Broja ineligible
- Bournemouth: Cook to be assessed, Sinisterra still out
FA CUP SEMI-FINALS: FRIDAY’S INJURY UPDATES
- Nottingham Forest: Nuno “assessing”, Aina latest
- Manchester City: Ederson nearing a return, no fresh concerns, Haaland latest
- Aston Villa: No known injuries for Villa
- Crystal Palace: Chilwell returns, Palace injury-free other than Riad + Doucoure
GAMEWEEK 34: FRIDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
🚨 Friday's FPL Press Conferences!
🕊️ 9am – Hurzeler
🔴 9am – Slot
⚫️ 9.30am – Howe
🐺 12.30pm – Pereira
🍒 12.45pm – Iraola
🧿 1pm – Maresca
🐓 1pm – Postecoglou
🍬 1.30pm – Moyes
👹1.30pm – Amorim pic.twitter.com/xLyRdbu1J6— Fantasy Football Scout (@FFScout) April 25, 2025
LIVERPOOL
Joe Gomez (hamstring) remains out for the Reds, with Arne Slot offering the latest update on the versatile defender on Friday.
“If his recovery goes well, he would be able to maybe [play] in the last one or two games of the season. He’s still not training with us yet but he’s coming closer and closer to training with the team. But then, he’s been out for a long time. We were just discussing Connor Bradley, it took him a while before he could even come in, let alone start. So, I think he will be available in the last one, two or three games if his recovery goes the way as planned.” – Arne Slot on Joe Gomez
The Liverpool boss didn’t reveal any new concerns, not that he was asked.
He was grilled about another right-back option, however.
While many Gameweek 34 Free Hitters would have been hoping for clues about Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s capacity to start on Sunday, Slot was instead asked a couple of questions about Conor Bradley.
“That depends, of course, on the upcoming two sessions but he was getting closer and closer to 90 minutes [in his last two starts]. The first and the second one were approximately the same amount of minutes and it’s normal if you played twice around 70 minutes, then the chance of you being able to play 90 is getting closer and closer. But we’re also taking very good care of him because he had two injuries that were similar. So, yeah, let’s wait and see how he does today and tomorrow if he’s able to play, and if he’s able to play, if he can make 90 also.” – Arne Slot on whether Conor Bradley is ready for 90 minutes
“It’s going to be very important for him, to become an even better player than he is now, to play many games in a row. Unfortunately for him, there’s also another full-back who is world-class at this club as well: Trent Alexander-Arnold. So that is probably the only reason why he hasn’t played back-to-back-to-back-to-back games yet, because he definitely has the quality to do so and I think that is the next step for him in his development, to play every single week.
“That might be his next step but as long as Trent is here, it’s going to be a difficult step for him to make as well. But they are both very good full-backs.” – Arne Slot on the importance of Conor Bradley starting successive matches
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Eddie Howe returned to press conference duty on Friday after a spell in hospital with pneumonia.
The Newcastle boss brought us a brief update on Fabian Schar, who was taken off as a precaution in Gameweek 33 due to hamstring tightness.
“Fabian, we hope will be okay.” – Eddie Howe on Fabian Schar
There were more detailed comments on Sven Botman (knee), whose return from a two-month absence is nearing.
“Sven’s trained well this week and it’s been great to see him back on the grass. So, yeah, really, really pleased with how he looked. It’s still very early stages for him, but back training with the group, big step.” – Eddie Howe on Sven Botman
Lewis Hall (foot) and Jamaal Lascelles (knee) remain unavailable.
Howe was also asked about his starting XI, which has remained unchanged for seven matches in league and cup. A six-game winning run came to a crashing halt in Gameweek 33, with Howe’s deputy Jason Tindall suggesting the Aston Villa match, which came at the end of a three-game week, was one fixture too many for his unaltered line-up.
“I think it’s very easy in hindsight [to say changes could have been made against Aston Villa]. I’m certainly not going to critique Jason’s decisions, I think he did brilliantly. The team has been unchanged because the team has performed really well. That was a difficult week, three games in six days, but there’s certainly no fatigue for this game. So, I will pick what I think is the strongest team and gives us the best chance to win the game with the squad I have available.” – Eddie Howe
“I think we’ve done really well in the really good run that we’ve had in the second half of the season. Regardless of the fixture list, regardless of when we’re playing, we’ve played really well and we’ve put a really strong consistent run of results together. I think we’ve done really well with midweek games and runs of games but now we go week to week, so we get a good preparation time, the players go into the games fresh, and hopefully we can execute our best performances.” – Eddie Howe
CHELSEA
Malo Gusto (muscle) will miss the Everton game but his manager says the defender has not suffered an “important” injury and is already back running.
“Malo is injured but it does not look [like] an important injury. He’s already running and doing things outside but he won’t be available for tomorrow. Hopefully he can be available for the next one.” – Enzo Maresca
Marc Guiu (hamstring) is closing in on a return but Aaron Anselmino (unknown), Wesley Fofana (muscle) and Omari Kellyman (hamstring) remain sidelined and Mykhailo Mudryk (suspended) is still suspended.
“He’s close, hopefully can be, I don’t know, one week, two weeks and he can be with us for the final part of the season.” – Enzo Maresca on Marc Guiu
Romeo Lavia is fit but Enzo Maresca confirmed that the Blues would continue to carefully manage his minutes, as is happening with Reece James.
“With Reece, it’s working quite well. He’s already able to play two games in three days. He played 90 minutes in the Conference, he played 45 against Fulham after three days. So it’s a huge step forward for him and for us. We are going to try to do the same thing with Romeo.” – Enzo Maresca
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Son Heung-min (foot) looks set to miss out again this weekend but the winger is at least back running and could be back in contention come Gameweek 35.
Radu Dragusin (knee) is sidelined for the rest of the season but Spurs have no fresh worries.
“We don’t really have any injury problems. We’ve only really got one. Sonny is the one, he’s trying to work his way back and is improving which is a positive for us, not for Sunday. Apart from the longer-term ones, everyone else from the last game has backed up really well. The rest of the squad is fit and available.
“We’ll see [if he’s ready for Thursday]. Like I said he’s improving, first time he’s got out on the grass today and he said it’s definitely better than what it was. It’s kind of a day-by-day proposition.” – Ange Postecoglou on Son Heung-min
MANCHESTER UNITED
Diogo Dalot has joined the injury list after picking up a calf problem.
Ayden Heaven (unknown) is still out, meanwhile, along with longer-term absentees Joshua Zirkzee (hamstring) and Lisandro Martinez (knee). Toby Collyer (leg) presumably also remains sidelined.
Matthijs de Ligt (foot) and Amad Diallo (ankle) are closing in on comebacks, at least.
“Diogo Dalot is out. We don’t know how long he is going to be out but he’s out for these next games. We’ll see until the end. Amad is near, Matta is near, but the rest is at the same pace. Ayden is not ready so I think that’s it.” – Ruben Amorim
“There is that possibility but I don’t know, we will check week by week because he works really hard, he can recover quite well. We will see.
“He has something in his muscle in his calf. He had a sequence of games, he played all the time. We tried to manage but some of the players have to play a lot of minutes and we have to protect the ones that we think are not so ready to cope with that, but Dalot felt something.” – Ruben Amorim on whether Diogo Dalot could be out for the season
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Vitor Pereira said that Jose Sa (back) is “okay” and training with his teammates ahead of the visit of Leicester City.
“Okay, he’s okay. Sa is working with the team and in conditions to help.” – Vitor Pereira on Jose Sa
The goalkeeper pulled out of the starting XI in Gameweek 33 after injuring himself in the warm-up.
In a further boost, Jeanricner Bellegarde (calf), Hwang Hee-chan (muscle) and Pedro Lima (ankle) have also all trained and Pereira expects to have them available.
“Bellegarde and Channy, they work yesterday with the team. I believe that they will be able for the game.” – Vitor Pereira
Sam Johnstone, who has missed the last two matches with a “small problem”, presumably remains out given that he wasn’t included in the list of potential returnees.
Wolves are also without longer-term absentees Sasa Kalajdzic (knee), Yerson Mosquera (knee), Leon Chiwome (knee) and Enso Gonzalez (knee).
Pereira swerved questions about Matheus Cunha‘s future after reports this week linked him with a move to Manchester United.
“They start to speak about players, some of them I don’t know, I haven’t heard in my life. This is football. In this moment, I want to win the next game and I must put all my knowledge in this game against [Leicester] because it will be a very difficult game.” – Vitor Pereira when asked if he ‘didn’t wan’t any part’ in the media speculation about Cunha leaving and potential Wolves signings
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
Jan Paul van Hecke will miss the visit of West Ham United with the head injury he sustained last weekend.
“No, not available.
“I think everyone saw the foul. It was a tough one and therefore we have to be careful with his health. We can’t risk him to play this weekend but I’m sure if we follow all the protocols, then he will be back next week.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Jan Paul van Hecke
Joao Pedro begins a three-match ban following his Gameweek 33 red card, too.
Georginio Rutter (ankle), Adam Webster (muscle), James Milner (hamstring) and Ferdi Kadioglu (toe) remain out, meanwhile.
There is some good news on the fitness front, however.
Joel Veltman (foot) and Tariq Lamptey (foot) are “options”, according to Fabian Hurzeler, while Kauro Mitoma is ready to start after being limited to substitute duty last weekend.
“Yep, he will be an option.” – Fabian Hurzeler on whether Joel Veltman will be available
Igor Julio (hamstring) has also been back on the grass this week.
EVERTON
James Tarkowski‘s season is over after he had surgery on the hamstring injury he sustained last weekend.
“Tarky’s out, he’s going to be out for the rest of the season. He’ll have an operation on his hamstring. It’s a big blow to us because Tarky’s played such a huge part of what we have done.” – David Moyes on James Tarkowski
Michael Keane had a bit of a torrid afternoon after replacing Tarkowski last weekend, and David Moyes was asked whether he might redeploy Jake O’Brien at centre-half instead.
“Jake is a centre-half so I’m not worried about doing it, that’s for sure. It’s just trying to get the right balance for the team. We think he’s done a brilliant job playing at full-back so sometimes you’ve got the decision to make, “Do I change two positions or do I change one position?” We’ve got Michael Keane available, as well, so we have got options.” – David Moyes
Elsewhere, Orel Mangala (knee), Jesper Lindstrom (hernia) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (hamstring) are still out for the Toffees.
Loanee Armando Broja also can’t feature against his parent club.
“Dom’s very close to coming back into training. He’s not training with the first team yet, he’s doing plenty of work on the grass but yeah, close now.” – David Moyes on Dominic Calvert-Lewin
BOURNEMOUTH
Andoni Iraola says that the Cherries will make a late call on the fitness of Lewis Cook (ankle) ahead of Sunday’s game against Manchester United.
Cook has been playing through the pain barrier in recent weeks and hasn’t fully trained during that time.
Luis Sinisterra (hamstring) isn’t ready to return, while Ryan Christie (groin) and Enes Unal (knee) are longer-term absentees.
“I think everyone that was available [still is]. The only one that probably we have some doubts [about] is Lewis Cook. Lewis Cook has been struggling the past weeks with some issues around his ankle, it’s a kind of tendonitis, something more chronic. He’s not fully training 100%. We will see if he can arrive to the game but he is the only one with some issues from the ones that were available.” – Andoni Iraola
BRENTFORD
We won’t hear from Thomas Frank before the Gameweek 34 deadline, so we’re in the dark as to the latest Brentford team news.
Of what we do know on the injury front, there’s only Josh Dasilva (knee) and Fabio Carvalho (shoulder) who are definitely out.
Long-term absentees Igor Thiago (knee) and Aaron Hickey (hamstring) were described as “getting closer” when Frank last faced the media ahead of Gameweek 33, and it’ll be a fortnight since that update when the Bees eventually take to the field at the City Ground. Even if they are involved against Nottingham Forest, which is questionable, it’ll be bench duty at best.
The one new concern was Yunus Emre Konak, who was involved in a clash of heads in the win over Brighton. He recovered to feature for the B team on Friday, however, so all seems good on that front.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Nottingham Forest aren’t in Gameweek 34 action until next Thursday but Nuno Espirito Santo brought us the latest injury news (in his own inimitable manner) ahead of the Tricky Trees’ FA Cup tie on Sunday.
“A lot of concerns. I cannot [tell you about them]. It’s the same, we are assessing players day by day. We have players coming back that we have to assess.” – Nuno Espirito Santo
Ola Aina (calf) was the only flagged Forest player before Nuno’s presser, and the Forest boss was asked about the Nigerian specifically.
“He’s one of the cases, it’s day to day. Yes [he could be back for Sunday], still tomorrow to go. Let’s see, let’s see.
“Eric Moreira the same. We have many players who are dragging issues from previous games, assessing all of them.” – Nuno Espirito Santo on OIa Aina
MANCHESTER CITY
Pep Guardiola has no fresh concerns for the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.
It sounds like Ederson (groin) could return in Gameweek 35, as he’s already back on the grass.
“We’ll see. Eddy is coming back and training a little bit but I don’t know if he will be ready for this game. Hopefully for the next one.” – Pep Guardiola on if he’ll get any of his injured players back this weekend
Guardiola said that Erling Haaland (foot) is “getting better” but still “injured”. The Norwegian is doing individual work on the grass but is not in team training.
“He feels better but I don’t know when because the injury is not a comfortable injury, I would say.
“He’s getting better, step by step. Still didn’t train with the team but we’ll see the next days.” – Pep Guardiola on Erling Haaland
Nathan Ake (foot), John Stones (adductor) and Rodri (knee) also look set to remain out, while reports suggest Oscar Bobb has picked up a hamstring issue.
ASTON VILLA
Villa had a fully fit squad for Double Gameweek 33 and we’re not aware of any fresh concerns ahead of the FA Cup semis.
“Rotation is not because you’re playing one match after, it’s because you’re playing one match before, because some players are tired or maybe got injured.
“We played a really hard match on Tuesday and did very good work there, but after this match the first thing was about how the players are for the selection of the starting XI.
“Tomorrow is a match that we will need the starting XI and players on the bench to be ready to play.
“We’re ready for 90 minutes, extra-time and a penalty shootout. We’re ready to play a match with every player that is available for tomorrow.” – Unai Emery
CRYSTAL PALACE
Other than long-term absentees Chadi Riad and Cheick Doucoure (both knee), Palace are injury free for their trip to Wembley.
Ben Chilwell is back after missing the midweek draw with Arsenal through illness.
Back-up goalkeeper Matt Turner is red-flagged in FPL but only because he can’t face parent club Nottingham Forest in Gameweek 35.
