After an international break full of the usual knocks, withdrawals and scares, it’s time for our early Gameweek 8 team news article to cut through the noise.
We’ve already heard from the managers of the three promoted clubs, the key quotes from which can be found in Thursday’s press conference summary.
But for the 17 other clubs, this initial round-up provides an overview before Friday’s pressers.
ARSENAL
Noni Madueke (knee), Kai Havertz (knee) and Gabriel Jesus (knee) remain unavailable but Piero Hincapie (groin) should be nearing a return based on Mikel Arteta’s previous comments.
Cameras caught Hincapie training on Thursday, indeed, but Ben White was absent and Martin Zubimendi watched on from the sidelines.
As for the newest concern, BBC Sport are among the media outlets claiming that Martin Odegaard (knee) will be out until mid-November.
ASTON VILLA
Ollie Watkins (knock) is a concern after exiting the England camp early. The striker collided with the woodwork in last Thursday’s clash with Wales, being replaced shortly afterwards. He wasn’t fit to face Latvia on the following Tuesday.
“Ollie left camp, unfortunately. It was too painful. He could not train with us. He is in treatment with his club. He is trying to get ready for the weekend.” – Thomas Tuchel
As for existing injuries, Youri Tielemans (calf) has reportedly had a setback and could be out until after the November international break.
Jadon Sancho should be available after missing Gameweeks 6 and 7 through illness, while Emi Buendia ought to be through the concussion protocol after coming off with a head injury in the win over Burnley.
Tyrone Mings (ankle) was earmarked for a return after the October break, too.
BOURNEMOUTH
Adam Smith (hamstring) and Enes Unal (knee) were the only two players on the treatment table for the Cherries in Gameweek 7. Andoni Iraola previously said that Smith would be out until after the October break, so he may be nearing a return.
Julio Soler remains with his national team for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup.
BRENTFORD
Aaron Hickey will have to be assessed after seemingly aggravating a knee niggle in Scotland’s win over Greece last Thursday.
The news is much worse for Antoni Milambo, who has suffered a season-ending knee injury while playing for the Netherlands under-21s.
Yehor Yarmoliuk recovered from an ankle knock to feature for Ukraine over the break, at least.
Longer-term absentees Gustavo Nunes (hamstring) and Paris Maghoma (hamstring) are both back in training and closing in on returns. Nunes got through 45 minutes for the under-21s on Tuesday.
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
We await the latest on Kauro Mitoma, who sat out Gameweek 7 and then Japan’s international double-header over the last fortnight.
Fabian Hurzeler said after the draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers that it was “not a bad injury” and that he would “hopefully” be back after the international break.
Hurzeler also previously said that Joel Veltman (calf) would be back for Gameweek 8.
Jack Hinshelwood (ankle), Adam Webster (knee) and Solly March (knee) remain on the injury list.
Brajan Gruda (knee) dropped out of the Germany under-21 squad last week, while Diego Gomez may have to be assessed for muscular discomfort after hobbling out of Paraguay’s final friendly in midweek.
CHELSEA
It is being reported that Cole Palmer won’t be available until November, as his recovery from a groin niggle drags on.
Aside from Palmer, the Blues continue to be without Levi Colwill (knee), Dario Essugo (thigh) and Liam Delap (hamstring).
Mykhail Mudryk is also suspended.
Trevoh Chalobah (suspension) and Wesley Fofana (concussion) will return, however, while Tosin Adarabioyo (calf) and Andriy Santos (unspecified) were also earmarked for comebacks after the October internationals.
And given that Reece James only exited from the England camp with a gashed leg, the historically injury-prone defender could also be swiftly back in contention.
Enzo Fernandez‘s withdrawal from the Argentina squad sounded more precautionary, too, with knee swelling the official cause. The BBC’s Nizaar Kinsella repeated on Thursday that Enzo was always going to miss the midweek friendly against Puerto Rico and that he’ll be fit for Gameweek 8. We wait to hear what Enzo Maresca says about his namesake on Friday.
Joao Pedro and Moises Caicedo were rested by their respective international teams over the break, while the substitutions of Benoit Badiashile and Josh Acheampong in Gameweek 7 were more about injury “prevention”.
CRYSTAL PALACE
Oliver Glasner had previously expressed hope of long-term absentee Chadi Riad (knee) returning to fitness after the October break.
Cheick Doucoure (knee) is definitely out, while Caleb Kporha (back) hasn’t featured at all in 2025/26.
EVERTON
Loanee Jack Grealish is out of Gameweek 8: he can’t face his parent club, Manchester City, at the Etihad this weekend.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at least returns from a one-match ban for yellow card accumulation.
We await the latest on Jarrad Branthwaite (hamstring) and Merlin Rohl (hip), who have been sidelined for some time with no return date set.
And there are questions over Michael Keane‘s fitness, too, after the centre-half “got something between the ribs” in the Gameweek 7 win over Crystal Palace.
FULHAM
Marco Silva said before the international break that he wasn’t expecting Rodrigo Muniz (muscle) and Kenny Tete (knee) to be back for Gameweek 8, so the Cottagers look set to be at least two players down.
It could be more, too, as Raul Jimenez (hip) missed out in a striker-less defeat to Bournemouth – although the fact that it was a late decision on the Mexican suggests he’s closer to recovery than Muniz.
Sasa Lukic (groin) limped out of the loss on the south coast and sat out Serbia’s international double-header; his national team coach suggests he will be out for 4-6 weeks.
It doesn’t end there for the Cottagers, with Antonee Robinson (knee) unable to play any part in USA’s friendlies over the last week.
LIVERPOOL
Alisson (hamstring), Jayden Danns (hamstring) and Giovanni Leoni (ACL) will miss the visit of Manchester United, with the latter out for the season.
There are concerns elsewhere, too.
Ibrahima Konate (thigh) came off in Gameweek 7 after he “felt his quad”, failing to get off the bench for France in their first World Cup qualifier before exiting Les Bleus’ camp early with the same injury.
Wataru Endo also withdrew from the Japan squad with an unspecified issue.
It’s better news on Ryan Gravenberch (hamstring), at least: his half-time withdrawal for the Netherlands last weekend was “precautionary”.
MANCHESTER CITY
Omar Marmoush (knee) and Rayan Ait-Nouri (ankle) were back in training on Thursday, so they look on track to return after the break as planned.
There was no Abdudokir Khusanov (ankle) in Sky Sports’ video, however.
Nor was there any sign of Rodri, who came off with a hamstring injury in the win over Brentford a fortnight ago. Pep Guardiola said after that game that he hoped the Spaniard, who subsequently withdrew from international duty, wouldn’t be out for much longer than 2-3 weeks.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, Matheus Cunha and Amad Diallo were all absent from training on Thursday – but there’s no need to panic if you’re an owner of any of them, as they’d merely been given extra time off to recover after returning from international duty.
The other absentees from the training ground are the three flagged players: Ayden Heaven (unspecified), Lisandro Martinez (knee) and Noussair Mazraoui (unspecified). Heaven picked up an issue when playing for England under-20s over the break.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
It looks like Lewis Hall (hamstring) has joined Tino Livramento (knee) and Yoane Wissa (knee) on the injury list on Tyneside. Hall picked up an issue in Newcastle’s last Champions League match and while the results of a scan are yet to be officially announced, reports suggest it’s going to be an absence of 6-8 weeks.
The calf issue that forced Lewis Miley out of England under-21 duty sounds less serious.
Jacob Ramsey (ankle) was back in training before the break but Eddie Howe simply decided not to risk him in Gameweek 7.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
There doesn’t seem to be too much concern about the knee injury that forced Chris Wood off in New Zealand’s draw with Norway on Tuesday.
“It’s been a little bit sore for him this week. Nothing too bad, I think when you saw him go down, he was holding it a little bit. It’s a little bit of tightness within his knee, so I think he will be fine. But we knew throughout the week he wasn’t 100 percent fit so he didn’t play much against Poland. And then, we worked through so that he could start [against Norway] because he became the joint-leading appearance maker with 88 caps.” – New Zealand manager Darren Bazeley, via beIN Sports
Douglas Luiz (hamstring) has returned to training over the break, with Murillo – only on the bench in Gameweek 7 after recent thigh issues – also spotted on the grass.
Oleksandr Zinchenko (groin) had also been targeting a return to action after the October break.
Ola Aina (hamstring) is the only definite absentee as it stands, then.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Randal Kolo Muani (dead leg) played 45 minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly over the break, so seems to be the closest of all Spurs’ injured players to a competitive return.
Radu Dragusin (knee) and Koto Takai (foot) have also been on the grass but given the length of their absences and lack of involvement in that international break kickabout, they’re likely well behind Kolo Muani for a return date.
Dominic Solanke (ankle), James Maddison (knee) and Dejan Kulusevski (knee) are still unavailable, while Yves Bissouma was stretchered off with a serious-looking injury seconds into what was his first appearance of the season, a run-out for Mali.
Ben Davies (muscle) will also need further assessment after limping out of Wales’ defeat to Belgium.
WEST HAM UNITED
Tomas Soucek is back from a three-match ban following his sending off in Gameweek 4.
Niclas Fullkrug (thigh) has joined George Earthy (hamstring) on the injury list, however. The German striker picked up an injury in training and, according to Nuno Espirito Santo in an interview with DAZN, will be “out for a while”.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Toti Gomes seems to have got over the illness that kept him out of Gameweek 7, having returned to training over the break.
Matt Doherty will likely still be out after wrist surgery, while Leon Chiwome (knee) is still unavailable.
