With three more Premier League teams in UEFA Champions League action on Wednesday night, we had another round of pre-match press conferences to dissect today.
The key injury updates are below.
If you missed Monday’s round-up, it’s here – and it now includes today’s fresh news on Viktor Gyokeres (muscle).
CHELSEA
Finally, an update on Cole Palmer (groin).
Enzo Maresca was asked about the sidelined England international on Tuesday, specifically whether he’d be back for the Champions League game against Barcelona on November 25.
The Gameweek 12 trip to Burnley precedes that clash.
“We hope so but with Cole, we try to plan, we try to schedule, you know, at the beginning. Then we need to review that. So, in this moment, we go day by day with Cole. He’s still apart, he’s not taking any sessions with the team.” – Enzo Maresca on Cole Palmer potentially returning against Barcelona in late November
The aforementioned meeting with the Clarets is, if reports are to be believed, a target for Palmer to get minutes of some variety.
Elsewhere, Pedro Neto won’t be risked in Wednesday’s clash with Qarabag because of a minor issue.
“Yeah, not a problem, just a small issue. So, we try to protect him. He’s not involved in tomorrow’s game.” – Enzo Maresca on Pedro Neto
Meanwhile, Benoit Badiashile (muscle) is also on course for a return after the November internationals.
“We have Benoit Badiashile that probably can be available after the international break and that is for us a huge news.” – Enzo Maresca
Levi Colwill (knee), Mykhailo Mudryk (suspended) and Dario Essugo (thigh) remain sidelined.
Liam Delap is back available after serving a one-match domestic ban at the weekend, however.
MANCHESTER CITY
There was no team news from Pep Guardiola in Tuesday’s press conference.
The City boss hasn’t even seen his squad since the weekend, having taken the unusual decision to push training back to the morning of the Borussia Dortmund game.
We’re not aware of any problems in the Cityzens’ camp other than Mateo Kovacic (ankle).
With Dortmund in town, focus was unsurprisingly on Erland Haaland ahead of a reunion with his former employers.
Guardiola took the opportunity to discuss how he plans to handle the big Norwegian through busy times ahead.
“Always I try to organise the team to allow him to run as less as possible and the effort because he is so big, he cannot play every three days, you know, 90 minutes, and make the big actions for 30/40 metres – I don’t want that.
“Another thing, always I think, that the teams that play every three days, 11 months, as much you control the ball through the passes – not [just] in this period of the season, during 11 months – you can handle the games in the way you want to. You survive. Less injuries and everything. So that’s why we try, but at the same time, when it’s not possible, you have to help us. And he is helping us.” – Pep Guardiola on Erling Haaland
NEWCASTLE UNITED
There’s a bit of illness going around the Newcastle camp at present, with all fingers pointing to Sandro Tonali being the Magpies’ ‘Typhoid Mary’.
The bug led to Kieran Trippier missing out in Gameweek 10, with Bruno Guimaraes the latest to be affected. The Brazilian midfielder is now a doubt for Wednesday’s clash with Athletic Club.
“There seems like there’s been a bit of illness going through the squad because that’s various players now have picked something up. So, I think Sandro initially, Jacob Murphy, Bruno, Kieran. So, we’re making a decision on Bruno tomorrow. He’s such an important player for us but he’s clearly not been himself and that’s why he missed training today.” – Eddie Howe
Trippier is, at least, back in training.
And there was the welcome sight of Tino Livramento (knee) on the grass on Tuesday, even if the midweek Champions League encounter comes too soon for him.
Harrison Ashby (thigh) and Yoane Wissa (knee) also remain unavailable.
Eddie Howe was asked again about Sunday’s triple half-time change, particularly the withdrawal of Nick Woltemade and Anthony Gordon.
“I think that with Nick, we’re well aware that we’ve thrust him into every single game, near enough. I thought he looked a little bit fatigued and it’s a case of making a decision that I felt tried to benefit the team and Nick going forward, because he’s carrying a lot of load on his shoulders, which I think… if at any stage I feel he is fatigued, then I need to act and help him. So, that was the thinking behind that one.
“With Anthony, look, he’s played very well in the Champions League. He hasn’t quite hit that form in the Premier League and I think that’s his challenge.” – Eddie Howe on his half-time substitutions in Gameweek 10
