The 14 remaining pre-match Premier League press conferences take place on Friday – and this is the place to come to get all the major Gameweek 5 team news.
Mikel Arteta, Enzo Maresca, Andoni Iraola and Michael Carrick are among the managers facing the media.
We’ll bring you the key quotes from all of these head coaches in the article below.
These pressers follow on from the six we had on Thursday.
FRIDAY’S KEY GAMEWEEK 5 TEAM NEWS UPDATES
- Arsenal: Arteta appears to suggest that White, Mosquera, Hincapie + Timber are fine
- Manchester City: Doku “probably” available, Foden banned
- Liverpool: Team news unchanged, Gomez comes through comeback unscathed
- Manchester United: A “chance” Shaw + Baleba could be available
- Tottenham Hotspur: Tonali + Porro fit after missing out in midweek
- Aston Villa: Gomes fit, Bizot joins six others – including Maatsen + Pau – on sidelines
- Brighton and Hove Albion: Azeez still out, Hajdam “able to play”, Vuskovic fine
- Leeds United: Wilson joins Rodon on the injury list
- Crystal Palace: Sarr “maybe” ready to start, Henderson + Mateta still out
- Bournemouth: Four out but no new team news as Rose goes early with presser
- Sunderland: Reinildo suspended
- Everton: Rohl still out, Armstrong expected to be fit
- Fulham: Tete concussed, Sessegnon to be assessed in training
- Ipswich Town: Taylor the only absentee, Emersonn fine
FRIDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
Friday's FPL Press Conferences! 🚨
⭕️ 9am – Arteta
🍒 9am – Rose
🕊️ 9am – Hurzeler
⬜️ 10am – Arbeloa
🐓 12pm – De Zerbi
🦅 1pm – Sage
🍬 1.30pm – Moyes
🚜 1.30pm – O'Neil
⚪️ 1.30pm – Farke
🔴 1.30pm – Iraola
👹 1.30pm – Carrick
🐈⬛ 1.30pm – Le Bris
🟣 2pm – Emery
🔵 3.30pm -… pic.twitter.com/7olzIymlfy— Fantasy Football Scout (@FFScout) September 18, 2026
ARSENAL
Mikel Arteta gave the impression that Ben White is fit, despite the defender appearing to suffer a groin issue in the win over Sunderland last weekend.
“They are all good, we have another training session this afternoon, so we are really positive about everybody.” – Mikel Arteta when asked if Ben White was fit
However, later in the morning, Thomas Tuchel said that White was unavailable for a call-up to the England squad.
Meanwhile, Arteta seemed to give the green light regarding Piero Hincapie, Cristhian Mosquera (muscle) and Jurrien Timber, who all missed the midweek win over Ipswich Town. Arteta had previously said that Timber’s omission was merely game-time management.
“Yeah, we have another session, they are all willing to be part of it, and we have another session to try to make sure that they are fit.” – Mikel Arteta, when asked if Messrs Hincapie, Mosquera and Timber were included in his original “all good” comment
William Saliba (back) remains out.
There wasn’t a great deal of note in the rest of the presser. Arteta gave praise to Ezri Konsa, while he also discussed Eberechi Eze on the left wing.
“I heard some great things about Ezri before he joined and when you have him daily you just realise the magnitude of the player that we signed, not only the player but the person, the way he presents himself, the way he’s able to connect with people immediately. We talk about Big Gabi, when you see those two in the corridors talking the way they interact with each other, it seems like they’ve been here for a long, long, long time together, which is great because that’s a partnership that in my opinion is extremely important on the field and then his attributes, the quality that he delivers to the team is something that really makes us better.” – Mikel Arteta on Ezri Konsa
“He’s always played there in his career, that’s where all his biggest moments in his career and the highlights of his career have come and I think it’s a place that he feels very, very, very comfortable. As well he can occupy different spaces through them but that’s the space that generally he has created big moments for previous clubs as well to win matches.
“In form, in the opponent, in the relationship that we have within that unit, there are a lot of factors [in deciding who starts between Eze and Christos Tzolis on the left].” – Mikel Arteta on Eberechi Eze on the left wing
MANCHESTER CITY
Phil Foden continues to serve a three-game ban but Jeremy Doku could return from a calf injury.
“Probably he can be available for Sunderland.” – Enzo Maresca on Jeremy Doku
Enzo Maresca meanwhile discussed his decision to rest all of the regulars in the midweek cup win over Norwich City.
“Yeah, very important. We gave rest to the ones that they play back-to-back 90 minutes, Porto and United. So, it was important for them to give them rest and now hopefully they can be full of energy for for Sunday’s game.” – Enzo Maresca on resting the regulars in midweek
LIVERPOOL
The Reds have no fresh concerns for the weekend.
That leaves only Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Conor Bradley (knee), Giovanni Leoni (knee) and Federico Chiesa (muscle) on the sidelines, then.
Joe Gomez (muscle) came through his first post-injury run-out, 45 minutes in the cup in midweek, unscathed.
“Everyone is ready to go. We are in the same place we were, the three long-term injuries plus Federico. The others, nothing. Okay, we still need to train tomorrow and travel, but everyone is fine.” – Andoni Iraola
MANCHESTER UNITED
Michael Carrick says there’s a “chance” Luke Shaw (unspecified) and Carlos Baleba (ankle) could feature against Fulham on Sunday.
“There is kind of a chance on both of them, really. Not totally 100 per cent yet but there’s half a chance.
“It is really short term [with Luke], to be honest, but it’s just working towards the game. So, we’ll see how he is come the weekend.” – Michael Carrick
Amad Diallo (unspecified), Manuel Ugarte (knee), Matthijs de Ligt (back) and Tom Heaton (hamstring) are still out.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Pedro Porro (muscle) and Sandro Tonali (knock) return after missing out on the midweek EFL Cup action.
The fit-again James Maddison is also fine after two substitute appearances in the last week.
“Porro, Tonali, Maddison, all are available to play. Normally, we have to understand the situation in terms of physical condition, but all of them are ready.” – Roberto De Zerbi
“James is working with the team in the last 10, 15 days, maybe less than 15 days. And even if he’s a technical player, he needs to be fit, to stay in a good condition. When he arrives to the best condition, he’s very important for us, as a personality, as a characteristic, as a quality, as an experience. The quality of his passes are different than the others. Maybe just Kudus, but Kudus also is not used to playing in the same [number 10 role]. We have to see. Mateus [Fernadnes], he can play as a number 10, but he has to be more sure in the last decision, the shot and the pass. And also, Gallagher is [an option].” – Roberto De Zerbi on how close James Maddison is to a start
Mykhailo Mudryk (ankle), Xavi Simons (knee), Wilson Odobert (knee) and Dejan Kulusevski (knee) remain sidelined, however.
“We have to manage Deki in the best way we can, with the medical staff, physical staff. But it’s a great thing for us because he’s a good player, he’s a good guy. He deserves to play again. We have to work day by day. Also, for Deki, it’s important the international break, because when he will be at the top of condition and pass over the injury, I think it’s a great signing, a new signing for us, another new signing.” – Roberto De Zerbi on Dejan Kulusevski, who is making a part return to training
Destiny Udogie (muscle) made his return on Wednesday night in the cup.
ASTON VILLA
João Gomes (calf) seems to have made a swift recovery to rejoin Aston Villa’s squad for Saturday’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur.
Matty Cash made his own comeback from injury as an unused substitute in midweek.
However, Marco Bizot (back) joins Pau Torres (hamstring), Ian Maatsen (ankle), Brian Madjo (unknown), Leon Goretzka (knee), Modou Kéba Cissé (unspecified) and Amadou Onana (knee) on the sidelines.
“We have so many players injured. It’s difficult to mention every one. Marco is out, Onana, Cisse out, Pau, Maatsen out, Goretzka out, Madjo out. I think that’s enough. The other players are ready.” – Unai Emery
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
New boy Femi Azeez (hamstring) hasn’t recovered, so his Brighton debut will have to wait till after the September internationals.
“I think that the best thing for Femi is that he uses this [international break] to get back on his highest physical level and then get used to our style of play. Then, we will try to work with him individually and hopefully integrate him back into the team, then definitely after the international break, he will be on a top level and we can use him in games.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Femi Azeez
Mats Wieffer (knee), Jack Hinshelwood (unspecified), Yankuba Minteh (leg), Evan Ferguson (ankle), Kaoru Mitoma (hamstring), Stefanos Tzimas (knee) and Zadok Yohanna (unspecified) remain out, too.
Jaouen Hadjam is “able to play” after taking a knock in midweek, while Luka Vuskovic is also fine after suffering merely from cramp in the 3-2 win over Manchester United.
“He’s young, he will recover fast. He definitely will be an option for tomorrow.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Luka Vuskovic
Lewis Dunk was merely rested for that cup tie at Old Trafford and is also available.
Georginio Rutter made his comeback from injury as a substitute in the Carabao Cup third round.
LEEDS UNITED
Harry Wilson (quad) has joined Joe Rodon (hamstring) and forgotten man Mateo Joseph (knee) on the sidelines for this weekend’s game.
CRYSTAL PALACE
Dean Henderson (ankle), Chadi Riad (knee) and Jean-Philippe Mateta (hamstring) remain out for the Eagles.
Axel Disasi starts a three-game ban, too.
Ismaïla Sarr (groin) returned to the Palace squad in midweek as a substitute. Pierre Sage said he’s “maybe” ready to start but not to last 90 minutes.
BOURNEMOUTH
Amine Adli (calf), Eli Kroupi (foot), Veljko Milosavljevic (knee) and Julian Araujo (thigh) are on the medium-term injury list, but we’re in the dark over fresh fitness concerns as Marco Rose opted to film his Gameweek 5 presser *before* Thursday’s win in Spain!
Rose went with an unchanged team in Europe but can he do it again in Gameweek 5?
There were these comments from his pre-match press conference, suggesting it was a possibility.
“At the beginning [of the season], you can handle the load and everything around. But if you do it every week for several months, then it’s getting really demanding and it’s up to me up to the coaching staff to make good decisions in terms of who to play, how long to play.” – Marco Rose
SUNDERLAND
Reinildo serves a one-match ban after his dismissal for two bookable offences in Gameweek 4.
“We’ll see. We have different options. It’s one of these options.” – Regis Le Bris on if Dayann Methalie comes in for Reinildo this weekend
Romaine Mundle (knee) and Habib Diarra (hamstring) remain out.
We’ve not heard anything new yet on Omar Alderete, who appeared to limp off on Wednesday.
EVERTON
David Moyes expects Harrison Armstrong to be available after the midfielder missed the midweek cup win over Wolverhampton Wanderers with a minor issue.
Merlin Rohl remains sidelined with an unspecified injury, however.
“We’re still waiting on Harrison a little bit to see how he is. We’re expecting him to be okay, Harrison.
“Merlin Röhl is not available yet, hopefully he’ll be ready at the end of the international break.” – David Moyes
Christian Nørgaard (groin) also remains out until after the September break.
FULHAM
Kenny Tete (head) will miss out as he observes the concussion protocol.
Tom Cairney (knee) is also still on the sidelines.
Ryan Sessegnon (groin) could return, however, and will be assessed in training today.
IPSWICH TOWN
Jack Taylor (knee) is the Tractor Boys’ only confirmed absentee this weekend.
Emersonn is fine after coming off with a tight quad last Saturday.
