There’ll be team news from nine Premier League managers to bring you on Thursday as the pre-match press conferences get underway ahead of Gameweek 4.
We’ll have all the key quotes and injury updates from the day’s pressers in the article below.
KEY GAMEWEEK 4 TEAM NEWS
- Newcastle United: Dedic “doesn’t look too serious”, Jaissle on Fernandez-Pardo’s fitness
- Brighton and Hove Albion: Rutter + Azeez could return, Mitoma still out, Hurzeler on De Cuyper
- Crystal Palace: Sarr + Mateta still sidelined, Sage on rotation
- Bournemouth: Four absentees remain out, no new concerns, Kroupi latest
- Leeds United: Rodon remains out but no fresh worries
- Nottingham Forest: Savona the sole absentee, Glasner on squad competition
- Sunderland: Diarra + Mundle the only injured players
- Hull City: Morita + Hughes remain out, Norton-Cuffy + McNair fit
- Coventry City: No new injury concerns, Mfuni available
THURSDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
Thursday’s FPL Press Conferences! 🚨
🕊️ 9am – Hurzeler
🦅 1pm – Sage
🐯 1pm – Jakirovic
🍒 1.30pm – Rose
🐈⬛ 1.30pm – Le Bris
🌳 2pm – Glasner
⚫️ 2.30pm – Jaissle
🩵 3pm – Lampard
⚪️ 4pm – Farke pic.twitter.com/I6wMU3CWR4— Fantasy Football Scout (@FFScout) September 10, 2026
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Amar Dedic came off with hamstring discomfort in Tuesday’s EFL Cup win over Millwall, with Matthias Jaissle saying at the time that it was “hopefully nothing serious”.
He repeated those sentiments on Thursday.
“I treat these things really confidentially. I hope my staff do, too, that nothing comes out. First of all, it’s about the player and it’s about his health. But what I said already after Millwall, it doesn’t look too serious.” – Matthias Jaissle on Amar Dedic
Tino Livramento, just back from a longer-term injury, replaced Dedic in midweek and got 45 minutes under his belt.
“I am satisfied and happy that he was dealing with the 45 minutes really good, he responded well, so that means our performance department did an excellent job.” – Matthias Jaissle on Tino Livramento
Jaissle gave little away on Joelinton (unspecified), Dan Burn (ankle), Ewen Jaouen (ankle) and Will Osula (foot), meanwhile.
“Step by step, with all of the players. I mentioned that, many times already, I don’t want to go here in details. This is something usually confidential, and our medical department is working day in, day out, to bring them as soon as possible back.” – Matthias Jaissle
As for Matias Fernandez-Pardo, could we see him in the starting XI on Monday?
“He is getting closer [to starting].
“As I said, we need to be smart with his load management. Now, he is getting more and more minutes, he has now almost a full training week to Leeds. That helps him a lot, I think it’s the first time since he arrived. We can make the decision on Sunday, maybe even on Monday.” – Matthias Jaissle on Matias Fernandez-Pardo
Away from all things fitness, Jaissle was asked about the lack of game-time so far for young summer signings Aladji Bamba and Bazoumana Toure.
“For Bazou, it is really clear, he is a young lad, came as a new signing. He’s doing a great job, you see it, the steps now in training. He is really committed [but] it’s sometimes, in football, a case when other players are performing at a high level, like Harvey [Barnes] at the moment, and you get a little less playing time.
“We said it from the beginning, especially for the young lads and the new signings, that we give them the time. It’s the same with AB. We are not pushing them into getting more minutes. It’s the normal progress.” – Matthias Jaissle
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
New boy Femi Azeez (hamstring) and Georginio Rutter (unspecified) could return to the squad this weekend.
“He definitely should be close. He had a small setback, but yeah, he was on the pitch now. So, hopefully, he’s available for the weekend if nothing goes wrong.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Georginio Rutter
“Regarding him, I hope that he will be an option. So, he will definitely train today with the squad and hopefully, everything is fine, and then he, hopefully, is an option for the weekend.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Femi Azeez
Mats Wieffer (knee), Jack Hinshelwood (unspecified), Yankuba Minteh (leg), Evan Ferguson (ankle), Kaoru Mitoma (hamstring) and Stefanos Tzimas (knee) remain on the Brighton injury list.
Mitoma was pictured in training this week but it’s still looking like Gameweek 6 onwards before we see him play.
“I expect him more after the international break.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Kaoru Mitoma
That’s good short-term news for the ‘out of position’ Maxim De Cuyper, then.
“He came as a full-back and overall, I think he will be also a really good full-back. Now, he plays more as a winger but also as a winger, he can help us with his creativity, with his left foot, with his good understanding of the game, with his good understanding also in pressing. So, overall, I’m happy with his performances and hopefully, he can keep going like this.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Maxim De Cuyper
£4.5m midfielder Malick Yalcouye looks set to be heavily involved again on Sunday.
“Malick is a big part because he shows good effort. He has a good understanding of the game. He can press very intensely. He can make a lot of deep runs and he also has a good finish. So, therefore, I have a big belief that he can help us through the season.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Malick Yalcouye
Another young prospect, winger Zadok Yohanna, won’t feature, however.
“He had a small issue. I always say that players need to have time to adapt to the Premier League and he’s an example of this. It’s a different intensity, different demands. So, we have to be very, very careful with him. We will give him time till after the international break to adapt, and then hopefully, after the international break, he can contribute again.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Zadok Yohanna
CRYSTAL PALACE
Ismaïla Sarr (groin), Chadi Riad (knee) and Jean-Philippe Mateta (hamstring) remain out for the Eagles.
“It’s the same situation. He’s not with the team for the moment. I thought he could be with us in training on Monday, but it was not the case.
“We expect him next Monday to start training with the first team. We want him on the pitch.” – Pierre Sage on Ismaila Sarr
Long-term absentee Cheick Doucoure, who was on the bench in Gameweek 3 before missing out on the EFL Cup win over Middlesbrough with illness, should be fine.
“Cheick [Doucouré] trained yesterday and this morning. All will be good for him. He was a little ill, but no, he’s fine.” – Pierre Sage
Pierre Sage added that he’d assess his squad for fatigue after Tuesday’s cup tie.
“We’ll see tomorrow because of the fatigue from playing Saturday and Tuesday night, so we have to check tomorrow.
“Today went well, but tomorrow will be better. Until then [tomorrow], we cannot give an accurate list.” – Pierre Sage
Sage had previously said that Eddie Nketiah was anticipated to return to training at the back-end of the week, having been forced off last weekend.
BOURNEMOUTH
Amine Adli (calf), Eli Kroupi (foot), Veljko Milosavljevic (knee) and Julian Araujo (thigh) are on the medium-term injury list, but Bournemouth have no fresh fitness concerns.
Marco Rose said Kroupi should be back in November.
“No more injuries, no issues, so everyone is fit [bar the longer-term issues].” – Marco Rose
“The plan is that Velkjo is the first one who is coming back. I think he’s just started on the pitch to do some runs and with the ball. The next one could be Amine some days later. We expect Junior back at the beginning of November, maybe. The last one will be Julian, he needs a little bit longer, but the plan is to get him back in November as well.” – Marco Rose
LEEDS UNITED
Joe Rodon, out for 8-10 weeks with the hamstring injury he sustained in Gameweek 2, is Leeds’ only absentee.
Daniel Farke says there are no fresh concerns from Wednesday’s EFL Cup tie with Chelsea.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Nicolo Savona (knee) is Forest’s only confirmed absentee.
“Fortunately, it’s just Nicolas. All others could train the entire week so far. So, positive.” – Oliver Glasner
“We’re now, let’s say, on the cautious side after he had a few setbacks or reaction in his knees and we’re really progressing the rehab very slowly.
“So far, everything is on track, but we don’t put pressure on him. It’s really always increasing the intensity of his individual rehab sessions and then having a look at how the knee reacts. So far, it’s all fine.” – Oliver Glasner on Nicolo Savona
Oliver Glasner was then asked about the recent arrivals of Liam Delap and Daniel Munoz, and the competition in the squad.
“Every position is occupied by two players, and then it’s a competition. Then it’s a little bit, maybe, what do we need? Do we need a more attacking wing-back? Do we more need a defending wing-back? Do we need a striker who makes runs in behind? Do we need a striker with big strengths in the box like Chris Wood? Do we like more of a ‘playing’ number nine like Igor [Jesus]? So, we have plenty of options and that’s very positive.” – Oliver Glasner
£4.5m defender Jair Cunha, newly called up by Brazil, looks set to continue over big-money summer signing Ousmane Diomande at centre-half.
“From day number one, [Jair] was listening, he was working really very hard in every training session and asking what he can improve.
“He had amazing performances also against Tottenham, at Liverpool.
“Ousmane Diomande takes a little bit of time. Now, we can see he’s progressing every single training, every week. He also had a very disrupted pre-season.” – Oliver Glasner
SUNDERLAND
Habib Diarra (hamstring) remains out for the Black Cats and has been joined on the sidelines by Romaine Mundle (knee).
“Just Romaine and Habib at the minute. So, Romaine, I told you just after Hull, he got this knee injury. It’s a shame because he worked so hard during the summer, had a good pre-season. He’s talented, a really good winger, so we’ll support him and back him for the next period, and the hope is he will be ready at the end of the year, something like that. And for Habib, we are just in the middle of his recovery period.” – – Regis Le Bris
Regis Le Bris made 11 changes for Tuesday’s cup victory over Hull City, and played a straight bat when asked if any of the reserves could force their way into the team this weekend:
“Yeah, it’s possible. A short answer!” – Regis Le Bris
HULL CITY
Jack Butland (shoulder), Ilyas Ansah (back), Hidemasa Morita (adductor) and Charlie Hughes (groin) remain out for the Tigers.
So too do Darko Gyabi (thigh) and Elliot Matazo (knee) but those two aren’t in the 25-man Premier League squad anyway. Neither is Óscar Zambrano.
Along with Tim Iroegbunam, Brooke Norton-Cuffy and Paddy McNair weren’t risked for the midweek cup tie at Sunderland but are fine.
“Still, Morita, Charlie Hughes [out], I think that’s it. Cuffy is fine after a scan. Paddy McNair is fine. Some problems after the Sunderland game but nothing special and they will be available for the game.” – Sergej Jakirovic
COVENTRY CITY
Stephen Mfuni is available again, having been ineligible to face his parent club last weekend.
Haji Wright (quad), Luke Woolfenden (knee), Josh Eccles () and Kaine Kesler-Hayden (hamstring) remain out but Coventry have no fresh worries.
“We’ve got the same squad as last week, with Yann obviously coming in. Josh Eccles is not fit yet. Kaine will not be back yet. Hopefully, they’ll be back for around international break time to start training. Wolfy the same, and Haji’s longer term, but the rest is as is.” – Frank Lampard
New boy Yann Gboho could see his debut.
“Yeah, he’s been training with us this week, which has been great to have him come in at the end of the window, or just after. So yeah, adapting to us and training etc, but he’s had a few good days of training.
“He’s an attacking player that can play various positions, from left side of midfield/left wing to number 10.” – Frank Lampard on Yann Gboho
