The Gameweek 35 press conferences are underway nice and early, with Daniel Farke facing the media on Wednesday.
Leeds United face Burnley on Friday, hence why the Whites’ head coach is ahead of the usual schedule.
You’ll be able to find all the injury updates from Farke below.
We should hear from the managers of the other 19 Premier League teams on Thursday and Friday.
Three of them, Aston Villa’s Unai Emery, Nottingham Forest’s Vitor Pereira and Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner, are also speaking today ahead of their respective clubs’ European semi-finals. We’ll bring you the headline updates from their pressers in this article, too.
GAMEWEEK 35 PRESS CONFERENCE
LEEDS UNITED
There are a few concerns for Fantasy managers emerging from Farke’s presser.
As feared, Gabriel Gudmundsson is out of Gameweek 35 with the hamstring injury he suffered at Wembley last weekend.
He’s not likely to be back in Gameweek 36, either.
“Hamstring injury. It’s also a bit of a serious injury. He will definitely miss the game on Friday and also, then probably, as it stands, the Tottenham game and then we have to see.
“Of course, we try to bring him back as quick as possible, especially at this stage of the season, and I hope he can feature then in one of the last two games. But as it stands, the next two games, we will have to play without him.” – Daniel Farke on Gabriel Gudmundsson
There are also “one or two question marks”.
One of the most-bought midfielders of the week, Noah Okafor, is a doubt with a calf complaint.
On top of that, Jaka Bijol is a concern due to a hip issue.
“First of all, we have to make sure that everyone is fit and available. There are, after the last game in the cup, one or two question marks.
“Noah Okafor got a hit against his calf, there’s a little question mark behind his availability.
“Also Jaka Bijol was dealing with some problems with his hip flexor.
“So, I hope to have them both available but I can’t tell you right now if it’s possible.” – Daniel Farke
Ilia Gruev (hamstring) is out for the season.
Anton Stach came back from an ankle injury as a substitute in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final. Farke discussed his fitness in Wednesday’s presser, too.
“Yes, we will see. We have two more days. I think it was beneficial also for him right now to have this 45 minutes in the tank. It was also quite a good and solid performance, especially the first game after such an injury. It’s important for the confidence for himself into his own body. I think it was very beneficial for him.
“Yes, of course, it’s always a bit tricky after such an injury. We had the same, more or less, with Joe Rodon. It’s not ideal during the crunch time for such influential and important players for us to be out, but it’s good to have them both back. I think Joe was also excellent in the second half [against Chelsea] and Anton the same.” – Daniel Farke on whether Anton Stach is ready to feature again on Friday
The versatile James Justin is the favourite to deputise for Gudmundsson on Friday, although Farke wouldn’t say for certain whether Justin would switch over from centre-half.
“It is always a bit tricky if you don’t have a left-footed wing-back option or full-back option more or less available but, on the other hand, we always have the chance that, for example, JJ, or whoever plays on this position [and] is a right-footed player, performs like Philip Lahm! He had also his best and better games for Germany on the left side, although he was right-footed.
“We have also left-footed players still in our squad and for that, I don’t want to speak too much about what we will do. Of course, I would prefer to have Gabby, with the strength to go forward, available but we have also other players in this position.” – Daniel Farke on Gabriel Gudmundsson’s absence
UEFA EUROPE/CONFERENCE LEAGUE PRESS CONFERENCES
ASTON VILLA
Amadou Onana will be assessed ahead of Villa’s all-Premier League clash with Forest on Thursday.
The midfielder missed Saturday’s defeat at Fulham with “some pain” and will now be assessed in training.
“We train this afternoon, and we will see how he is responding, if he’s feeling good to play tomorrow. He was testing yesterday and today we must test again how he is feeling, and how we can get the players with some pain to play tomorrow.” – Unai Emery on Amadou Onana
Other than Onana and long-term absentee Boubacar Kamara (knee), Villa have no known injury concerns.
Ross Barkley and Alysson are ineligible for Thursday’s game, having not been named in Emery’s Europa League squad, but will return in Gameweek 35.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Vitor Pereira was keeping things coy in his press conference on Wednesday.
“You know, some problems, as every team has in this moment. In the end of a season, you know, a lot of games. We’ll see. We’ll see tomorrow. The medical department are trying the best to recover everyone but we’ll see tomorrow.” – Vitor Pereira on the latest team news
The reporters present went on to push for updates on Murillo (muscle) and Jair Cunha (shoulder). The latter was seen in training earlier in the day.
“He is trying to come back as soon as possible but he’s not ready for tomorrow.
“Not so long. I believe in more a few days, we’ll be back.
“I don’t know [if he’ll be fit for the second leg]. I don’t have a magic ball. I cannot predict. But I think he is recovering, and we’ll see. We’ll see.” – Vitor Pereira on Murillo
“Yeah, as I said to you, we are working with our medical department, they are working hard to put everyone in conditions to help us tomorrow. But to be honest with you, I don’t know, I don’t know if everyone will be fit for the game.” – Vitor Pereira on Jair Cunha
Two players who weren’t seen in training on Wednesday were Ibrahim Sangare, who was substituted in Gameweek 34, and Dan Ndoye. Reports suggest they were doing individual work indoors.
Callum Hudson-Odoi (muscle), John Victor (knee), Willy Boly (knee) and Nicola Savona (knee) are all out for the season.
CRYSTAL PALACE
To follow later this evening.
