It’s an unusually busy Thursday of press conferences today, with eight Premier League managers facing the media.
Arne Slot and Mikel Arteta are among the top-flight bosses speaking to journalists.
Another is Calum McFarlane, although today’s presser is, of course, of the FA Cup final variety. Chelsea’s Gameweek 37 fixture is not until next Tuesday.
A reminder that we will almost certainly not get any Bournemouth or Tottenham Hotspur team news before Friday’s deadline.
The managers of the other 10 Premier League teams should be on press conference duty on Friday.
As for today’s media gatherings, this live blog will have all the updates throughout the day.
KEY GAMEWEEK 37 TEAM NEWS FROM THURSDAY
- Arsenal: White injury “looks long term”, Timber likely still out, Calafiori uncertain
- Liverpool: Salah available as a sub, Alisson close, Wirtz still affected by stomach bug
- Chelsea: Sanchez available, Neto + Garnacho back in training, James + Colwill fine
- Brighton and Hove Albion: Mitoma ruled out, Gomez an option. Wieffer could return
- Nottingham Forest: Gibbs-White training in a mask, Aina + Murillo still out
- Aston Villa: Onana, Kamara + Alysson still out
- Brentford: Same team news as last week, Henry won’t return this season
- Burnley: Late call to be made on Hannibal
THURSDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
Thursday's FPL Press Conferences! 🚨
🔴 9am – Slot
⭕️ 9.15am – Arteta
🟣 1.30pm – Emery
🕊️ 1.30pm – Hurzeler
🧿 1.30pm – McFarlane
🍷 2pm – Jackson
🌳 2.30pm – Pereira
🐝 5pm – Andrews pic.twitter.com/bCpGTvd3si— Fantasy Football Scout (@FFScout) May 14, 2026
ARSENAL
The Gunners revealed earlier this week that Ben White had suffered a “significant” knee injury in the win over West Ham United last Sunday.
And on Thursday, Mikel Arteta confirmed that the injury looked like a “long-term” one.
“We have to wait and see [whether he’s out of the World Cup], it looks like a long-term injury. At the moment, the focus is ‘When can we have him back and available for Arsenal?’, and that’s not going to happen in many, many weeks.” – Arne Slot on Ben White
Arteta suggested that fellow Jurrien Timber (ankle) is still sidelined, too.
“We need to look at alternatives. The two players that we have, they are not available at the moment, so we need to look and do something else. The good thing is that we have experienced that all over the pitch this season, because when we had issues, normally they were in the same positions, as well, and we have managed still to find the right level of performance and consistency, so I’m sure we will do that.” – Mikel Arteta on his right-back options
“He wanted to be very close to the team [which is why he was with the squad in Gameweek 36]. He’s progressed a little bit in the last few days, he’s feeling better. We’re going to try to get him fit and available as quickly as possible, but let’s see. Obviously, he’s been out now for a while, unfortunately. He’s such an important player for us. We all know that and he’s doing everything he possibly can to help the team in any capacity. We know his leadership, his quality and how much the team needs him. He’s trying everything that he can.
“There is a chance [Timber plays again this season] but how big the chance is, I cannot tell you. I’m being completely honest. He’s going to try to do everything he can to convert that chance as high as possible in the shortest possible period, and that’s the challenge ahead.” – Mikel Arteta on Jurrien Timber
The Arsenal boss initially didn’t offer us much else on the team news front.
“Not much [team news] at the moment, we still have a few days till Monday, so we’ll have to wait and see how certain players evolve and whether they are available or not for the game.
“We have most players available now. Okay, we lost Ben [White] the other day, but the other ones are coming back as well. Everybody is so enthusiastic and so positive about the way that we can finish the season.” – Mikel Arteta
Later in the presser, Arteta was asked about Riccardo Calafiori, who came off at half-time last weekend. Again, he wasn’t a great deal of help – but Sky Sports later reported that he was seen in training.
“No, we don’t know whether he’s going to be available. We still have days ahead. Hopefully, it’s nothing serious but we’ll have to wait and see how he reacts to that.” – Mikel Arteta on whether Riccardo Calafiori has trained yet
Calafiori was one of the names mentioned by journalists as a possible understudy at right-back. Declan Rice spent time in that position in Gameweek 36 before Cristhian Mosquera took over in the second half.
“I think the sample is so tiny. It’s very difficult to judge a player when he has so low minutes.
“Declan Rice, when he’s played as a full-back, against Brighton, was exceptional. But then the other night, it was something else. It depends. The sample is still so little, it will remain so little from here to the end of the season to judge if a player is good enough and can perform in the position, and what is the cost of moving that player from one position to the other? That’s the balance that we need to find.” – Mikel Arteta, when asked about Riccardo Calafiori’s previous brief experience at right-back against Paris Saint-Germain last season
There was no specific update on long-term absentee Mikel Merino (foot).
And there was no sight of Bukayo Saka, William Saliba or Martin Odegaard in training on Thursday, but their absences have been downplayed by Sky.
Away from injury news and selection dilemmas, will Arsenal go all out to boost their goal difference against Burnley? Arteta was asked that very question.
“First of all, you have to earn the right to win the game. Obviously, you can make a difference with more goals, that’s obviously even better. But we’re all playing very tough matches. We had a really tough match against West Ham and we managed to win it. It was a great feeling, but we know ideally that scoring goals is going to be important.” – Mikel Arteta on the importance of goal difference
LIVERPOOL
Mohamed Salah (hamstring) will return to the Liverpool squad on Friday, although only as a substitute.
Alisson (muscle) is, like the Egyptian, back in training, but it’s still not certain whether he’ll feature.
“Mo [Salah] will be available tomorrow for only a few minutes but hopefully, he can come in.
“Alisson trains with us again, let’s see where he is tomorrow, if he is ready or has to wait for one more week.” – Arne Slot
Ibrahima Konate is okay after cramp forced him off in Gameweek 36 but Florian Wirtz isn’t quite fully over the stomach bug that caused him to miss the draw with Chelsea. It’ll be a late call on him.
“Ibou [Konate] is okay, he trained with us.
“Florian [Wirtz] [had a] stomach infection. Let’s see how fit he is for tomorrow. He is on antibiotics, so let’s see if he’s ready to play tomorrow.” – Arne Slot
Wataru Endo (foot), Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Conor Bradley (knee), Stefan Bajcetic (hamstring), Jayden Danns (hamstring) and Giovanni Leoni (knee) remain out.
CHELSEA
Robert Sanchez (head) looks set to be available for selection again, after sitting out the draw with Liverpool.
“Yep, [he’s fit to start].
“Really positive, he’s trained well this week and we’re really hopeful looking into Saturday.” – Calum McFarlane on Robert Sanchez
Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho, who have missed the last two Gameweeks with “knocks”, have also returned to training this week and could feature in Saturday’s FA Cup final.
“Pedro Neto and Ale Garnacho have trained well this week, so looking really good, really hopeful with them, as well. So, yeah, positive signs.” – Calum McFarlane
Levi Colwill and Reece James, who returned to the squad after injury in the last two Gameweeks, have come through their Gameweek 36 appearances and another week of training unscathed.
“He’s trained well this week. Happy with Reece. Good to get him some minutes, I thought he played well when he came on, as well. So, yeah, largely positive around Reece.” – Calum McFarlane on Reece James
“Same sort of story. He has had a really good rehab. He’d played a few games before he played for us against Forest, I think his first game back was. He played for the 21s two or three times. So, again, a really good training week. I thought Levi was exceptional against Liverpool. So, again, we’re really hopeful.” – Calum McFarlane on Levi Colwill
Jesse Derry (head), Estevao (hamstring) and, to the best of our knowledge, Jamie Gittens (hamstring) are still out.
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
Kaoru Mitoma will miss the final two Gameweeks with the hamstring injury he picked up last Saturday.
“For us, he will be out. So, he will miss the the next two games. Regarding the World Cup, I’m not sure yet. So, we are in touch with the Japan association and therefore we have to make a decision together.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Kaoru Mitoma
Diego Gomez (knee) is available, however, while Mats Wieffer (ankle) could also return.
“There’s an option that he will be available on Sunday, but we have to wait the next two three days.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Mats Wieffer
“He will be definitely an option for Sunday.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Diego Gomez
Stefanos Tzimas and Adam Webster (both knee) remain on the longer-term injury list.
Asked a question about the lesser-used Georginio Rutter, Fabian Hurzeler hinted that Maxim De Cuyper, who came into the side and got two assists last weekend, would again get the nod at Leeds.
“I feel that [Georginio Rutter] is in a good place. Of course he’s not happy with with his game minutes, that’s normal, but I feel that he’s there for the teammates, that he’s there for the club and that’s the most important [thing], that everyone puts his ego behind the success of the club. And that’s what I always emphasise: it’s team first and therefore, in some moments, you have to put your ego behind.
“Maxim De Cuyper is a great example. He’s, as well, a big player. He played several games for Belgium, but he didn’t play many minutes for us because Ferdi [Kadioglu] did well, Mats Wieffer did well, and now we missed Mats Wieffer in the last weeks and he replaced him in a very impressive way. And you can only do this if you train hard every day, if you put the team first, if you put the ego behind and emphasise the value of togetherness.” – Fabian Hurzeler
Away from team news, £5.1m FPL midfielder Jack Hinshelwood is aiming to become the first Brighton player to score in four successive Premier League matches.
“One of his biggest strengths is his flexibility, he can play in several positions. Now he’s in a ’10’ position. It seems to be a good fit, he has like this desire to score. He is not only a box-to-box player because he really attacks also the opponent’s box and that’s something what is really important for our game and I’m really pleased how he’s performing at the moment.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Jack Hinshelwood
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Morgan Gibbs-White (facial injury) could feature against Manchester United on Sunday, having returned to training in a protective mask.
“He started today. He started today to work with the team, with the mask. Let’s see. It is strange when you use the mask but, in the end, I spoke with him and he said, “I’m okay with the mask, no problem”. We will see if he is ready or if he’s in condition for the next game.
“Of course, [he’s desperate to get back on the pitch to prove himself ahead of the World Cup]. I think he wants to prove himself every time. He wants to get every chance to prove himself and to prove that he has the quality and the talent to be [in the England squad].” – Vitor Pereira on Morgan Gibbs-White
Dan Ndoye and Ibrahima Sangare, two short-term absentees with unspecified issues, could return, too.
Murillo (muscle) and Ola Aina (unspecified) remain out, however.
“Dan Ndoye started [training]. I think Sangare [will train] tomorrow. That’s all.
“Murillo out, Aina out. In this moment, I think Dan Ndoye, Morgan and Sangare will be in the training tomorrow.
“I really don’t know [whether Murillo and Sangare will feature again this season]. They are improving but I don’t know. I think it is not a time for risks. We’ll see. It is about the medical department.” – Vitor Pereira
ASTON VILLA
The Villa team news is pretty much the same as last week, with Amadou Onana (calf), Boubacar Kamara (knee) and Alysson (unspecified) still out.
Loanee Harvey Elliott can’t play, either, as he’s ineligible to face his parent club, but he’s long been surplus to requirements at Villa anyway.
“We have the same players out. Amadou Onana is not available for tomorrow, Alysson as well is not, Kamara as well is not. But the other players… should be ready to play tomorrow.” – Unai Emery
It’s a huge week for the Villans, with a UEFA Europa League final to come on Wednesday.
Unai Emery, however, only has eyes on the Premier League and a top-five finish.
“Everything is very important in the moment we’re having here, the process we are in. Each time is very important. But now, how we are getting to the end of the season, with the target so, so close, it’s huge. We expected a huge challenge at the beginning [of the season] to finish the season in the top five; it’s really something fantastic.” – Unai Emery
BRENTFORD
Keith Andrews reports that the Brentford team news is unchanged from last weekend.
“All good. Very similar to what we had last weekend.” – Keith Andrews on the latest team news
Rico Henry (hamstring) is unlikely to be involved in the last two games.
“He’s still training to a point. Just coming back, naturally, he’ll dip in and out of sessions to get back up to a level. But no, I don’t think Rico will be involved this week or next.” – Keith Andrews on Rico Henry
Antoni Milambo and Fábio Carvalho (both knee) were already ruled out for the season.
BURNLEY
Interim boss Mike Jackson has no major new concerns for the trip to Arsenal.
Hannibal Mejbri is “coming along well” after limping out in the 2-2 draw with Aston Villa but there’ll be a late call on him.
The only others on the injury list are Ashley Barnes (muscle), Josh Cullen (knee), Connor Roberts (Achilles) and Jordan Beyer (hamstring). Roberts is scheduled to play for the under-21s this week as he closes in on a return.
“Virtually everyone’s fit for selection again apart from Connor [Roberts], who will be with the 21s. He’s playing some game time in that.
“Hanni [Mejbri], we will make the call on closer to the time but he’s coming along well.” – Mike Jackson
Martin Dubravka lost his ever-present record last weekend, with Max Weiss brought in.
“At this moment in time, I’m still thinking about everything, but I think it was important for us, with the season already decided in terms of the points, that we see Max in a competitive environment. I thought he did really well. I always judge young players in terms of, do they change when they got actually go into the first team? Will the temperament stay the same? Did he do the same things that they do in training? And then did he just move on after any error, any mistake? And I’ve seen that from him. I think that’s really important.
“[He’s] calm for a goalkeeper. I thought he grew into the game as it went. Made some really good saves and I’m really pleased because it’s a big thing for a young guy like that. The work he puts in is incredible, on and off the pitch. So, for him to get his Premier League debut, it’s really pleasing for him and his family.” – Mike Jackson, when asked whether Max Weiss would start again
