Three Premier League managers face the media on Monday ahead of UEFA Champions League matches the following day.
All the key quotes from Thomas Frank (from 3.30pm GMT), Pep Guardiola (from 5pm) and Mikel Arteta (from 7pm) will be featured below.
KEY TEAM NEWS UPDATES FROM MONDAY
- Manchester City: Semenyo ineligible, Marmoush in squad, Foden fit
- Arsenal: Saka training, Hincapie + Calafiori still absent
- Tottenham Hotspur: Davies undergoes surgery, Palhinha + Simons latest
MANCHESTER CITY
Ahead of Guardiola facing the media, Manchester City named their travelling squad for the trip to Bodo/Glimt.
Absent due to ineligibility is Antoine Semenyo, who, of course, only signed for City earlier this month. City had named their Champions League squad back in the autumn and now can’t make any additions/removals until the knockout rounds.
The same rules will apply to Marc Guehi after he completed his move from Crystal Palace.
“He is a top central defender and is playing [for] the national team. Thanks to the club for bringing him here.
“He can play right, left.
“The problems that we have at the back in the next few months, it’s really, really important he’s here.” – Pep Guardiola on Marc Guehi
There’s no surprise that John Stones (thigh), Oscar Bobb (hamstring), Ruben Dias (hamstring), Josko Gvardiol (leg), Mateo Kovacic (ankle) and Savinho (thigh) are missing from the squad, either.
Nico Gonzalez hasn’t recovered from the issue that kept him out of both the EFL Cup semi-final last Wednesday and Gameweek 22, while Matheus Nunes is still sidelined with the illness that saw him miss the Manchester derby.
Bernardo Silva is suspended in Europe but will be available in Gameweek 23.
Phil Foden is in the travelling party, however, despite Guardiola confirming later in the day that he’d broken his hand.
“He has a little bit broken his bones but he has protection and he’s fine for tomorrow.” – Pep Guardiola
And also on board the flight to Norway is Omar Marmoush. He has just returned from the Africa Cup of Nations, although he didn’t start in Saturday’s third/fourth-place play-off.
He could step in for Erling Haaland, who Guardiola recently said was “exhausted” – but the Norwegian is at least fit.
“He said to me he slept unbelievably, so he’s fit.” – Pep Guardiola on Erling Haaland
ARSENAL
After Mikel Arteta suggested on Saturday that Bukayo Saka had a “niggle” before the Nottingham Forest game (hence his benching), the winger was present in training on Monday.
Riccardo Calafiori (muscle) and Piero Hincapie (muscle) were again not involved, however.
After Cristhian Mosquera (ankle) unexpectedly made the bench in Gameweek 22, Max Dowman (ankle) was the only other absentee in training.
Arteta confirmed with a nod in his presser that Dowman, Calafiori and Hincapie were still out.
There are no new concerns, however.
“No, that’s all.” – Mikel Arteta when asked if he had any other fitness concerns beyond the three names above
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Spurs have confirmed that Ben Davies will undergo surgery today after fracturing his left ankle in Saturday’s loss to West Ham United.
He joins Richarlison (hamstring), Rodrigo Bentancur (hamstring), Mohammed Kudus (thigh), James Maddison (knee) and Dejan Kulusevski (knee) on the sidelines.
There are some new concerns, too. Joao Palhinha missed out in Gameweek 22, while Xavi Simons was spotted limping in the mixed zone after the match. Neither player trained on Monday, although it sounds like Xavi will be involved against Borussia Dortmund.
“So, we basically have 11 players, of our outfield players, available for the game, of normal first-team players. One of them is Xavi.
“He has a swollen ankle but because he’s so strong mentally, he’ll play through pain tomorrow.” – Thomas Frank on Xavi Simons
“No [Palhinha is not available], that’s why I said we only have 11 players. So, no – when it is raining, it pours.” – Thomas Frank
Archie Gray was on the grass, despite himself coming off at half-time against West Ham United.
Micky van de Ven can’t feature on Tuesday due to a Champions League suspension.
Radu Dragusin, new signing Conor Gallagher and Yves Bissouma are currently ineligible for European competition. Dominic Solanke, however, is back in the mix: Spurs have reversed the Champions League squad swap they made late last year, so Mathys Tel is out of contention again.
“I’ve made the decision, it was not a nice decision to make, that’s football so you have to make a decision.
“The way the rules are, the only option was it was either Dom or Matty in the squad, I chose Dom. I think Matty has done very well the last couple of games, that’s the crazy thing.
“If I could pick from all the players that are fit, he would start tomorrow. But I can only pick between the two of them and now he’s out of the squad. That’s, of course, a tough one to take for Matty.” – Thomas Frank
