Given that there is a Friday night deadline this week, there were disappointingly few Premier League press conferences held on Thursday afternoon.
Only eight media gatherings took place, with none of the managers from the ‘big six’ clubs amongst them.
We are likely to get a further ten pre-Gameweek 12 pressers tomorrow and whatever information we can extract from Nuno Espirito Santo and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s post-Europa League press conferences tonight, with some of that information perhaps embargoed.
Brendan Rodgers was perhaps the headline act on a quiet Thursday, bringing the sort of injury news Fantasy managers like to hear: no news.
The Leicester City manager has a near-complete clean bill of health for the visit of Arsenal, with only Matty James (Achilles) unavailable – and even he has returned to the training ground this week.
Sean Dyche revealed on Thursday that Chris Wood (hamstring) has “every chance” of being available for selection against West Ham United, although Johann Berg Gudmundsson (hamstring) remains absent.
Asked whether there could be team changes this weekend, the Burnley boss said:
It’s a possibility. They always are, by the way, but if you have a tough result or performance then it enhances that fact. It keeps everyone alive.
Danny Drinkwater (ankle) is back in full training but a little way from a playing return.
Manuel Pellegrini says that Lukasz Fabianski (hip) faces at least another month out, although Michail Antonio (hamstring) is expected back after the international break.
Winston Reid is still building up his match-fitness, while Jack Wilshere (groin) will be assessed ahead of the trip to Turf Moor.
Pellegrini said of Wilshere:
We will evaluate, to see if he can be [available] for Saturday or not. We need to see him working tomorrow.
Norwich City have been gradually getting bodies back over the past couple of weeks and there was further good news from Daniel Farke on Thursday, with the Canaries’ boss saying:
Mario Vrancic, since two and a half weeks, consistently on the training pitch. He’s not fit for 90 minutes but at least a topic for the squad. It’s good to have him at least as an option.”
Grant Hanley is likely to be back pretty soon after the international break. Christoph Zimmermann was involved in some parts of team training during this week, it looks like he will also be back pretty soon after the international break.
Farke also confirmed that Todd Cantwell, Ibrahim Amadou, Tom Trybull and Onel Hernandez are all back up to full fitness following their recent injuries.
Quique Sanchez Flores welcomes back Troy Deeney (knee) from injury after a lengthy absence, meanwhile.
Flores said first of his club captain, and then of other returning players:
He’s ready to come to the group and go to the list. He is ready and we will make the final decision. It’s very good news.
It’s not just Deeney. We have [José] Holebas, Capoue, [Sebastian] Prödl, Sarr – players who have recovered in the week — and now we have more options. It’s good for the team.
Ahead of Southampton’s match against Everton, Ralph Hasenhuttl said:
Moussa [Djenepo] is back, Cedric is back, they can train with the team. No more injuries, so we have all the players on board now. Ryan Bertrand, he is still suspended. The rest are fit.
The Toffees aren’t quite so blessed with a clean bill of health, with Andre Gomes facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering an ankle fracture-dislocation in the draw with Spurs last Sunday.
Bernard (knee) and Jean-Philippe Gbamin (thigh) remain on the injury list.
Marco Silva said of Fabian Delph (hamstring):
Big doubt for the game. Let’s see tomorrow and on the matchday but at this moment I can tell you he’s a big doubt for the match.
Chris Wilder was frustratingly vague on Sheffield United’s injury news, saying only:
We’ve got a couple that are hopefully going to train today. No names mentioned obviously! But we’re hopeful that they’ll train today and be on the trip down south tomorrow afternoon.
Tomorrow will hopefully bring us fresh updates on the likes of Ederson (muscle) and Mason Mount (ankle) and you read up on those injuries in our Scout Notes articles below:
READ MORE: Atalanta 1-1 Manchester City and Red Star 0-4 Spurs
READ MORE: Chelsea 4-4 Ajax and Liverpool 2-1 Genk
Predicted line-ups and more detailed information will be found in the Team News tab, which is being refreshed over the coming 24 hours.
We’ll have our regular early-evening article round-up of Friday’s press conferences tomorrow, along with a second video/podcast summary of any breaking injury news.
Joe and Neale’s YouTube round-up of Thursday’s pressers can be viewed or listened to below.
Lessons learned from Gameweek 11
- Bournemouth 1-0 Manchester United
- Arsenal 1-1 Wolves
- Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool
- Brighton 2-0 Norwich
- Manchester City 2-1 Southampton
- Sheffield United 3-0 Burnley
- West Ham United 2-3 Newcastle United
- Watford 1-2 Chelsea
- Crystal Palace 0-2 Leicester City
- Everton 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
4 years, 5 months agoI have d.silva and matip dubious at the moment.
A) swap matip to tomori/Emerson and play Diop
B) swap d.silva to maddison and play Diop
C) swap matip and d.silva for tomori/Emerson and maddison for a hit, bench Diop.
Thanks.