The Gameweek 17 press conferences are underway, with the latest team news slowly starting to filter through.
Five Premier League managers face the media on Thursday, including Keith Andrews of Brentford. He’ll be giving us the latest on Igor Thiago (£7.2m).
All the key team news and quotes are in the article below.
We should hear from the bosses of the other 15 Premier League clubs in some form – be it a live press conference or embargoed quotes from midweek – on Friday.
KEY GAMEWEEK 17 INJURY NEWS FROM THURSDAY
- Brentford: Andrews “doesn’t know” about Thiago + Henderson
- Nottingham Forest: Aina + Wood the only confirmed injuries, Sels should feature, two leave for AFCON
- Sunderland: Diarra to feature despite AFCON call-up, five others depart
- Leeds United: James, Longstaff + Nmecha still out, same group of players available
- West Ham United: Diouf + Wan-Bissaka depart, Fullkrug trains
THURSDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
BRENTFORD
As we feared might be the case due to the short turnaround between EFL Cup tie and pre-match presser, Keith Andrews couldn’t tell us much more about the likelihood of Igor Thiago being fit for Gameweek 17.
The Brazilian striker and Jordan Henderson both missed the loss to Manchester City with “knocks”. Andrews said at the time that the pair, who haven’t started any midweek game this season, were “not far off”.
“I don’t know yet, is the honest answer around exactly how they are. They’ve been with medics today, we’ll see how they are going into the game on Saturday.” – Keith Andrews on Igor Thiago and Jordan Henderson
Kevin Schade is available again after his one-match ban last weekend.
Dango Ouattara and Frank Onyeka have left for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), however.
Long-term absentees Josh Dasilva (knee), Fábio Carvalho (knee) and Antoni Milambo (knee) are also still unavailable.
The games against Leeds United last Sunday and City on Wednesday came too soon for Reiss Nelson (knock) but he shouldn’t be too far away.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Sean Dyche named only Chris Wood (knee) and Ola Aina (hamstring) as his confirmed injury-related absentees, although he could have neglected to mention Ryan Yates (hamstring), who he previously said would likely be out until January.
“It’s looking better. Woody is still recovering on the grass at the moment. He is not with us yet but is still recovering. Ola is kind of halfway through his progress into fitness, training more regularly with the team now, so that is good, but it has been a long-term injury so we have had to be careful with that one.
“I think pretty much everyone else is back on the grass. There is still pure match fitness, total match fitness. We can only play so many games and B Team games, but they are getting there. There is certainly a good training group now and a lot of demand within that training group, which is good.” – Sean Dyche
Taiwo Awoniyi is among those who have been back on the grass.
Matz Sels (groin) and Nicolas Dominguez (knee) weren’t risked in Gameweek 16 with a view of giving them the best chance of being fit for Monday.
In quotes reported from the non-broadcast section of his press conference, Dyche said Sels in particular should be fine.
“It has calmed right down, [Dominguez’s] knee. The doctor thought it would calm down and it did do, but we couldn’t take a risk when we are just getting players back fit.
“Matz has trained this week so hopefully should be fine for selection.” – Sean Dyche, via the Nottingham Post
Injuries aside, the Tricky Trees will be down two players due to AFCON involvement: Willy Boly and Ibrahim Sangare have joined up with the Ivory Coast.
SUNDERLAND
Five of Sunderland’s six AFCON-bound players have now left for the tournament.
They are: Bertrand Traore, Noah Sadiki, Arthur Masuaku, Chemsdime Talbi and Reinildo Mandava.
However, an unusual development regarding Habib Diarra. Called up by Senegal, he’s also just returned from a medium-term injury. As a result, he’s been on the Sunderland training ground this week to build his fitness and may even be on the bench this weekend before leaving for Morocco a week later than his aforementioned teammates.
“He might be with us for Brighton and then it will be end of his rehab process. If it’s all positive, he will be to leave with his national team.” – Régis Le Bris on Habib Diarra
“I’m not worried, to be fair. We knew before that this period will come. So, it’s not new. It’s not unexpected. So, with 26 points, I repeat, it’s better because the level of confidence is high and we trust the players who will be involved.” – Régis Le Bris on losing six players to AFCON
Away from international football, Luke O’Nien is suspended.
Régis Le Bris said the Black Cats have “no injuries”, however.
LEEDS UNITED
Lukas Nmecha (hamstring), Daniel James (hamstring) and Sean Longstaff (calf) remain out for the Whites.
Daniel Farke says that he expects to have the “same group of players” available as last weekend.
“It will still be about eight weeks in total that [James] will be out before he can then return back to team training, and then let’s see how quick he’s back to full speed and that he can then join in the games.
“With Sean, he’s progressing in his rehab. Also doing individual stuff on the pitch, also running stuff and also a little bit with a ball. But the first step will be for him to be reintegrated in team training and then he needs of course a few training sessions to be back available. So, it will last a bit so he’s not back in team training. So for that we decided then also from game to game and from day to day.
“And also Lucas Nmecha is also out for the next game. So, still a bit symptomatic.
“So, I have the same group of players available also for this Crystal Palace game.” – Daniel Farke
WEST HAM UNITED
The Hammers have lost both of their first-choice full-backs, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf, to AFCON.
Other than that, though, Nuno Espírito Santo hopes to have everyone fit for the trip to Manchester City.
Niclas Fullkrug has been in and out of the West Ham squad of late, missing out anew in Gameweek 16, but has partly trained as of Thursday.
“No major issues. Niclas Fullkrug returned today to part of the session. Aaron out, Malick out, but for the game, we are going to have everyone available, I hope.” – Nuno Espírito Santo
