We’re expecting much of the Gameweek 21 team news to arrive on Tuesday, when the majority of Premier League managers will be facing the media.
However, four top-flight head coaches did host their pre-match press conferences on Monday.
You can find the updates from this group in this article.
A word of warning on Liverpool: Arne Slot is not scheduled to deliver his presser till Wednesday morning, which is after the next FPL deadline.
And while we haven’t got a time yet, there’s a good chance that Mikel Arteta also gives us Arsenal’s injury latest a day after the Gameweek 21 deadline passes.
The Gunners’ clash with Liverpool is the sole Premier League match taking place on Thursday, so those are the only two teams we’re concerned about, re pre-deadline team news.
KEY GAMEWEEK 21 INJURY NEWS FROM MONDAY
- Tottenham Hotspur: Kudus scan, Xavi returns, Udogie + Solanke latest
- Nottingham Forest: Dyche on John v Sels, update on Hudson-Odoi
- Leeds United: Rodon + Bogle latest, Ampadu back from ban
- West Ham United: Paqueta + Todibo updates, two strikers eyeing debuts
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Mohammed Kudus (thigh) will “most likely” miss out in Gameweek 21 after he hobbled out of the Sunderland game on Sunday.
“He is going for a scan here, 1pm, to clarify the issue. Unfortunately, I don’t have a big update on him.
“Most likely, ruled out for Bournemouth, yeah.” – Thomas Frank on Mohammed Kudus
James Maddison (knee) and Dejan Kulusevski (knee) are still out, while Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma remain at the Africa Cup of Nations.
As for Destiny Udogie (hamstring) and Dominic Solanke (ankle), they are both closing in on returns – although the Bournemouth game comes too soon for the latter.
“Destiny is training and is looking better, so that is positive.” – Thomas Frank on Destiny Udogie
“No, he will not [be travelling to Bournemouth] but positive going forwards.
“Today, you could see in training that he’s nice and composed on the ball, good decisions, good touches. It was a little bit more competitive in the small-sided games. He looked a little rusty, which is completely normal. Now he’s unfortunately been out for at least six months, so of course it will take a little bit of time. So even if he’s ready for whatever time in the near future, hopefully, then I think we’ll be surprised to just see him just hit the ground running – very few players do that.” – Thomas Frank on Dominic Solanke
Xavi Simons is back from a three-game ban, meanwhile.
Cristian Romero is also available, despite an FA charge hanging over his head. Spurs have appealed against that.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
We have yet to see Sean Dyche’s presser in its entirety but the Nottingham Post have posted updates from the Forest boss this afternoon.
Firstly, there is still some doubt about Callum Hudson-Odoi (Achilles), who missed out in Gameweek 20,
“We’ll have to wait and see. He didn’t make Saturday, quite obviously, and he couldn’t make it on the bench so we’ll have to wait and see. It was a sore Achilles.” – Sean Dyche on Callum Hudson-Odoi, via the Nottingham Post
Chris Wood (knee) and, it sounds like, Ryan Yates (hamstring) remain out, while Willy Boly and Ibrahim Sangare are still away with the Ivory Coast.
As for Dan Ndoye (calf), Dyche previously suggested that the winger could be back in Gameweek 21.
The big Forest talking point of the weekend was John Victor‘s calamitous error for Aston Villa’s third goal, with the ‘keeper hobbling off immediately afterwards.
The Nottingham Post report a calf issue but the only quotes from Dyche on the Brazilian shotstopper are more concerning the competition between the posts.
“Well, there’s been a real close contest between them two. I’ve spoken to both of them about it.
“I thought John had done enough. Early on, he made a brilliant save from a point-blank chance. It’s very unfortunate for him and unfortunate for us a big mistake occurred.” – Sean Dyche on his two goalkeepers, via the Nottingham Post
LEEDS UNITED
Leeds have no fresh worries from Gameweek 20, while they’ll also get Ethan Ampadu back from suspension.
Sean Longstaff (calf) was surprisingly in the squad to face Manchester United on Sunday, despite Daniel Farke ruling him out days earlier.
“Thank God, no new injury concerns, also important news after such a competitive game. Right now, we try to recover smart and also to prepare for a quick turnaround again.
“With Sean, if I’m honest, initially my plan was to involve him the first time for the FA Cup game because he was out for more than six weeks, slightly more. Normally I like to have a player, at least, after such a long-term injury, a full week of training. But Sean is an important player for us, not just on the pitch but also off the pitch. And to have his maturity and his personality in the dressing room, especially once a few other key players are out, is always important.
“Perhaps [Longstaff has] also a chance to be involved in the squad again, and definitely not for 90 minutes, also definitely not in the starting line-up, but perhaps for a few minutes.” – Daniel Farke
As for Joe Rodon (ankle) and Jayden Bogle (calf), they aren’t ruled out of the Newcastle United game but are still doubtful.
Daniel James (hamstring) is definitely still unavailable; he’s still at least a fortnight away.
“We just hope that [Bogle] recovers pretty quick from his calf injury. So, what I can confirm is that Joe Rodon and Jayden Bogle were also today not in team training, they were doing individual work in their rehab. They are actually close, both are making good progress. If the Newcastle game comes too soon or there’s still a possibility to involve them somehow, we will see. We have at least two more days.
“But at the moment, it’s perhaps more realistic that they are not ready for this game, but definitely then on the other side of the FA Cup fixture. We still have a bit of hope that perhaps one of them is able to support us also in Newcastle.” – Daniel Farke
“At the moment, he’s around two weeks away from team training and this is the first step. So, we expect him in two weeks, at least around this date, back in team training and then we will see how quick he is available for the games.” – Daniel Farke on Daniel James
WEST HAM UNITED
Nuno Espirito Santo wll check on Jean-Clair Todibo (groin) and Lucas Paquetá (back) after they missed out in Gameweek 20.
“We have to assess both of them, JC and Lucas. They are trying hard to be involved, painful situations. We still have tomorrow to see how they are and see if they can be involved in the squad.” – Nuno Espirito Santo
El Hadji Malick Diouf and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are both still on duty at the Africa Cup of Nations, while goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański has been sidelined with a back injury lately.
The two new arrivals, strikers Taty Castellanos and Pablo Felipe, are hoping to make their debuts.
Both recent signings trained with their new teammates on Monday; Pablo had been an unused substitute at Molineux on Saturday.
“Now we are in the moment of rebalancing our squad. Two players came in, Taty and Pablo, who I consider good options, players that can help. We need help from those that are coming, but we are the ones that have to improve and make the situation better.
“Two players that I really believe can bring new things to the team. We had many, many names coming across and Pablo and Taty were the ones that I personally consider that can create an impact. Us as coaches and clubs, these days, these are good chances to try and rebalance. t’s the first transfer window that we have. We have to try and make it right. Players that come with purpose, players that come with the intention to really help, be brave to join us in this situation. They need to be brave and we need to make sure that they come with a purpose. So, Taty and Pablo, they come with a purpose.” – Nuno Espirito Santo
