Team News

FPL Gameweek 22 team news and injury updates

After a hectic Christmas period in which we often had to make do without pre-match press conferences and up-to-date injury news, we are at least back to some semblance of normality ahead of Gameweek 22.

All 20 Premier League managers held media gatherings either on Thursday or Friday, with some well-owned players among the players discussed by their respective bosses.

There was positive news on James Maddison, who sustained a blow to the head against Aston Villa.

Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers said today:

Just a knock, he had some tests after the game. He’s fine, he’s trained the last few days.

Kevin De Bruyne also took a whack to his upper body in the EFL Cup on Tuesday but when asked whether the Belgian has had any ill-effects since, Pep Guardiola said:

No, no, I think it is fine.

Jurgen Klopp brought us up to date on Liverpool’s injury situation, saying on Friday:

James [Milner] and Naby [Keita] are not available, both are muscle injuries. We’ll see how quick, we don’t have to put a timeframe on it. For sure not for this weekend, not for next week, but then we will see.

Joel [Matip] was not part of all parts of training, he was outside on the pitch which looked really good but then he had to do his own stuff again. Yesterday was part of the first part of training. Shaq [Xherdan Shaqiri] trained completely normal since he was in.

Dejan [Lovren] and Fabinho we expect to be back next week in full training. If’s that then early enough for the United game I don’t know but we will see.

A start away at Tottenham Hotspur would seem a tall order for new signing Takumi Minamino but Klopp gave us an idea of where the versatile Japan international might feature in future, saying:

He played [as a striker v Everton] because we thought it was the most natural to him in the first place, especially defending-wise against the ball it was most natural to him.

He played the position the year before, not this season but the season before, when my former player was manager at Salzburg. I watched a couple of games and they played a lot in a diamond and he was the no.10 very often. He can play second striker, all that stuff, for Japan he plays as no.9, he can play on the wing. 

But we thought from a defending point of view it’s the most natural position for him that he knows because I don’t want to give him kind of a playbook: read it and now you know what you have to do. 

So he could defend naturally actually, but it’s not the only position he can play, no, no no. He played in a 4-4-2, both wings, second striker, for Japan the only striker – a lot he has to offer and I loved the game. 

For Spurs, Harry Kane (hamstring) and Moussa Sissoko (knee) will now be missing until April.

Ben Davies (ankle), Tanguy Ndombele (hip) and Hugo Lloris (shoulder) remain out but Danny Rose (calf) is back in training.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said that Harry Maguire (hip) has “got a chance” of featuring against Norwich City tomorrow, despite previous media reports hinting at a long absence.

The United boss explained:

He’s got a chance for tomorrow. It was a minor thing, don’t know where the reports are coming from. He’s going to go through training today and see how he reacts for tomorrow. He was close to playing against City, just not fit enough.

Scott McTominay (knee) and Paul Pogba (ankle) remain sidelined, while Jesse Lingard was ruled out of Saturday’s match due to illness and Eric Bailly (knee) and Tim Fosu-Mensah (knee) will feature for the reserves on Friday night.

Daniel Farke ruled Teemu Pukki (hamstring) out of the trip to Old Trafford, so, with Josip Drmic (hamstring) also sidelined for the game at Old Trafford, teenage forward Adam Idah could potentially be handed a chance up front.

Christian Pulisic‘s stock is set to fall further in Fantasy Premier League, with Frank Lampard saying today:

Christian Pulisic is out, he’ll be out for a few weeks. He was injured in training last Saturday. It’s an injury in the adductor, so he’s got a tendon injury. It was quite a nasty injury, he was in pain when it happened.

On Chelsea’s other injury news, Lampard added:

Marcos Alonso is recovering, he’s trained today but he won’t be ready for tomorrow. Ruben [Loftus-Cheek] is still out.

Johann Berg Gudmundsson (hamstring) will miss the trip to Stamford Bridge while Sean Dyche said on Thursday that the Clarets will “almost definitely” be without Ashley Barnes, who is set to see a specialist on a recurring groin problem.

Jay Rodriguez and Phil Bardsley have missed almost a full week of training due to illness so may also not feature, with their manager explaining that their ailment was “a deeper thing than just a bug”. 

Nuno Espirito Santo ruled Willy Boly (ankle) and Diogo Jota (dead leg) out of Saturday’s game against Newcastle but Morgan Gibbs-White (back) is back in contention.

The Wolves boss said of Jota:

He had a strong impact, he has some fluid and blood on the injury, he’s going to be scanned again next week. After this scan we can wait and determine better his return.

Jamaal Lascelles (leg), Allan Saint-Maximin (hamstring), Fabian Schar (hamstring) and Jonjo Shelvey (hamstring) are not quite ready to return despite making good progress in their respective rehabilitations but Paul Dummett (groin), Ciaran Clark (calf), Andy Carroll (groin), Miguel Almiron (groin), Dwight Gayle (hamstring) and Jetro Willems (groin) are all back in training and in contention to feature against Wolves.

Javier Manquillo (hamstring) is sidelined, however, while Steve Bruce seemed to imply on Friday that the Magpies had lost Yoshinori Muto and Ki Sung-yueng to knocks as well.

DeAndre Yedlin will also be assessed for a knee injury.

There’s not much change at Everton, with boss Carlo Ancelotti reporting:

The injured players are the same. Andre Gomes will come back next week and start to train individually here. [Jean-Philippe Gbamin], I don’t know precisely but is working alone in this moment. The same with [Alex] Iwobi. The others are fit.

Dan Burn (shoulder) and Jose Izquierdo (knee) are Brighton’s only two confirmed absentees for the trip to Everton but Aaron Mooy is a fresh doubt, with Graham Potter revealing that the in-form Australian had “not trained in the last couple of days” after picking up a knock.

Roy Hodgson confirmed that new loan signing Cenk Tosun is in contention to be in the Crystal Palace squad against Arsenal, adding that Max Meyer (knock), Jairo Riedewald (knock) and Wilfried Zaha (knock) were all fit.

The Gunners will be without Kieran Tierney (shoulder) and Calum Chambers (knee), while Hector Bellerin (hamstring) looks unlikely to feature, with Mikel Arteta saying on Thursday that the defender was “still not there” despite a partial return to training.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang wasn’t included in the Arsenal medical round-up and has been pictured in training, so the assumption is that he has recovered from the illness that forced his no-show in the FA Cup.

Keinan Davis (hamstring), John McGinn (ankle), Jed Steer (Achilles), Tom Heaton (knee) and Wesley (knee) are all unavailable for Aston Villa, while Jonathan Kodjia (illness) hasn’t trained as of Friday.

There was no update on Matt Targett (hamstring) in Friday’s press conference but Dean Smith had previously expressed confidence of him returning for this weekend.

Eddie Howe said on Friday that the “long-term absentees won’t really change for this weekend” but, without naming names in the broadcast section of his press conference, added that a few of Bournemouth’s sidelined contingent are “getting very close now”.

News broke late on Friday that Chris Mepham would be out for a long period of time after sustaining a serious knee injury.

Danny Welbeck (hamstring), Tom Cleverley (heel), Sebastien Prodl (knee) and Daryl Janmaat (knee) remain unavailable for Watford’s match against the Cherries, although Welbeck has at least resumed training with the rest of the Watford squad.

Kiko Femenia (hamstring) has joined them on the sidelines for this one, while Nigel Pearson said on Thursday that the Hornets “don’t think” Will Hughes (hip) will recover for the trip to the Vitality Stadium.

The Watford boss added that a few of his players had “less-serious” injuries that will be monitored over the coming days.

Michael Verrips (concussion) will miss Sheffield United’s match against West Ham United tonight but Simon Moore (groin) is back in training and could be back among the substitutes after a month-long absence.

Michail Antonio (hamstring), Jack Wilshere (groin) and Andriy Yarmolenko (thigh) remain unavailable for the trip to Sheffield United, while Ryan Fredericks will join them on the sidelines after picking up a hamstring injury that will rule him out for four to six weeks.

Yan Valery (virus) is Southampton’s only confirmed absentee.


Predicted line-ups and more detailed information are found in the Team News tab.

Our regular YouTube/podcast round-up can be viewed here or listened to below.

631 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Orion
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Kun C worth a risk???

    1. Fpl_Juggernaut
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Could be a great shout for this gw
      But a problem long term

    2. Joey Barton and Friends
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      If I had him, I’d risk it against Villa.

    3. Regin
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Probably not. Jesus could start

    4. dunas_dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Just done that - 2 week punt and risk I think worth taking- see my post below

    5. Lecky Legs FC
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      I captained Aguero Vs Sheffield United - the right call, followed through with it against Everton and it was a massive fail I'm going to throw the armband on him Vs Aston Villa this GW but I won't be surprised if he doesn't start if your chasing a ML like myself then it's risky but might be worth it

    6. Threat Level Midnight
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Best captain option this week

  2. Tucker
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Alli to:

    A) Richarlison

    B) Sarr

    C) Maddison

    1. JohnBlack
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      C

    2. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Maddison

    3. Regin
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      I am doing c

  3. Bruno Bruno!!
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Who to get rid of first in GW23

    Ryan
    Dunk TAA Lundstram
    Martial Maddison Traore KDB
    Rashford Vardy Jiminez

    Button Grealish Aurier Kelly

    1. Dr. Mantis Toboggan
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Martial and Rashford out to get a Liverpool mid in?
      Or Martial Aurier out to get double Liverpool defence?

    2. Fpl_Juggernaut
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Aurier

  4. Dr. Mantis Toboggan
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Gone back and forth on this all week.
    Any compelling arguments one way or the other?

    A) Traore (NEW)
    B) Alli (LIV)

    1. Fpl_Juggernaut
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Alli 1 pointer incoming.. So adama

    2. Regin
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Traore.

  5. Eastman
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Anybody keeping Alli or who is the best replacement? Maddison?

  6. Abusive_Sgt_Daelrhos
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Play Alli or Lund?

    1. Fpl_Juggernaut
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Lord Lundstram

  7. YEAH PITCH!
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Bench fodder

    A) Hayden
    B) Dendoncker

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      A

      1. YEAH PITCH!
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Thanks. Any particular reason?

  8. dunas_dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Made the move to get Aguero in for next 2 games before getting Mané by transferring him out for Ings.

    Risky but needing big differential to get up ML so captaining. Good to go?

    Ryan
    TAA Söyüncü Lundstram
    Salah KDB Richarlison Grealish
    Vardy (vc) Aguero (c ) DCL

    Button Cantwell Rico Kelly

    1. Lecky Legs FC
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Look at my comment above I got one call right one wrong it's a risky move but could be brilliant best of luck to you if you go through with it the armband is on him 🙂

  9. Fpl_Juggernaut
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Play gazzaniga or a non playing gk(mc govern).. Fearing negative points return 🙁

    1. Rhys85
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      You'll only get Gazza off the bench anyway I'm afraid

  10. Rhys85
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Evening guys,

    Should I play Soyuncu (SOU) or Sidibé (BHA)?

    Cheers

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Sidibe

    2. Fpl_Juggernaut
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Sidibe oop

    3. Rhys85
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Cheers

  11. Regin
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Interesting that many are not captaining Vardy. He is a straight forward cap choice imo

    1. Abusive_Sgt_Daelrhos
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      How so? He is kinda not in form honestly

      1. _Ninja_
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Returns in 10 of his last 11 games is decent form

        1. Eddie
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Yeah, it's less about his form, more about Southampton showing some.

      2. Don Van Vliet
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        How is Vardy not in form? He's missed the last two, granted, but to say he's not in form is inaccurate.

    2. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      First on captaincy poll

    3. Forza Papac
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Bit boring though isn't it?Sterling(c) for me.

    4. Threat Level Midnight
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Wrong

    5. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Southampton ain't the whipping boys anymore

    6. Eddie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Salah, Mane, KDB, Kun, Sterling, Rashford, Martial, Jimenez all have great fixtures. To be honest, I'm surprised the captaincy poll is so heavily in Vardy's favour.

  12. Abusive_Sgt_Daelrhos
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    One more lads. Play 2 out of 3:

    Alli,Lord Lund, Rico

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Rico on the bench

    2. Rhys85
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Alli and Lund

  13. Rinseboy
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Capt Rash KDB Martial or Vardy?

    1. Fpl_Juggernaut
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Ginger boy

  14. Amey
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Any Mane © in the house 😉

  15. B Sharp
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Anyone help me for my draft league. Massive punt or go sensible?

    A - Martinelli, Alli & Kolasinac (fornals sub)
    B - Martinelli, Alli & Gomez (kolasinac sub)
    C - Martinelli, Fornals & Kolasinac (alli sub)
    D - Alli, Fornals & Gomez (Kolasinac sub)
    E - Alli, Fornals & Kolasinac (Gomez sub)

  16. Fpl_Juggernaut
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Kdb captain here.. Fear of him playing deep. What are the odds

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      50-50

    2. Regin
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      He could play deep. More likely. Captaining him a slight risk

    3. Rhys85
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      I'm tempted to captain him myself, I think even if he plays a bit deeper he's capable of a big haul. Looking at Villa's stats it could be a big win for City and someone's gotta load the gun!

  17. Jinswick
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Best option here? Cheers.

    A) Otamendi -> Holgate (5.0) & save FT
    B) Otamendi & Moura -> Holgate (4.4) & Maddison
    C) Otamendi & Moura -> Digne (5.7) & Grealish
    D) Something else

    Ryan
    TAA, Soyuncu, Otamendi
    Salah, KDB, Martial, Moura
    Vardy, Ings, Maupay

    Button, Dendoncker, Aurier, Kiko
    Bank 0.0m, 2FT

  18. fplfansss
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Anyone keeping faith in Alli?

    1. tisza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Yep. Want to roll FTs.
      An eye on GW24 and how to set up.
      If it was away then Alli would be gone.
      Worth a hold to see how him, son and moura link up.

  19. Jack Burton
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Evening all sorry a boring one here play Soy or Lundsrum cheers in advance

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Lundstram

      1. Jack Burton
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Cheers Holmes good luck

  20. rodragon
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Sell Maupay to DCL or save ft?

    1. Fpl_Juggernaut
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Sideways move imo.. Save

  21. Regin
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Bench ings or soyuncu? Feel Leicester will keep a clean sheet

    1. Pep's Money Laundry
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Ings will score so bench Soy

      1. iL PiStOlErO
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Tgi

        1. iL PiStOlErO
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          *this

    2. Rhys85
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      I'd definitely play Ings, his form is too good! I think there's a good chance he'll score.

  22. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Where was this article yesterday when I sold Maddison and KDB due to rumours about them missing out to head trauma protocol?? Cancelling my subscription next year...

    1. Eddie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      No you didn't.

    2. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      you still gonna post here?

      1. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Plenty of non member casuals on here, probably joining the herd.

    3. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Even if they were both out for week you should have benched them. Where is the rash?

    4. Don Van Vliet
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Brosstan keeps me young. Posts are always entertaining and, usually, spot-on.

  23. iL PiStOlErO
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Cpt???

    A)Rash
    B)KdB
    C)Vardy

    1. Fpl_Juggernaut
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Kdb

    2. Jack Burton
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Got all three gone KDB good luck

    3. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Chees all will go Rash anyway. GL.

  24. B Sharp
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Which one should I play?
    A Alli
    B Fornals

    Both shite fixtures

    1. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Alli

  25. Snapes on a Plane
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Pick one to start
    A) Ings
    B) Traore

    1. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Ings

    2. Boom XhakaLacaSaka
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      traore

  26. Boom XhakaLacaSaka
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Who are people captaining then?

    1. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Rash

  27. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Mourinho - still moaning.

    1. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      MoUning

  28. Firminooooo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    I give up. Tell me who to captain: Vardy, Martial, Salah, Aguero, KdB.

    1. Eddie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Lundstram

      1. Firminooooo
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Thanks. Captain Lundstram it is.

    2. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Vardy has the least downside I guess

      1. Firminooooo
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Penalty miss.

        1. SADIO SANÉ
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          talking about EO not what actually happens

        2. Eddie
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          I don't think he could miss if he tried.

    3. Klein
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Safe pick: vardy
      High risk high ceiling: kun kdb
      Someone you can trust and playing bad defence: salah
      Hocky cocky: martial
      Choose your medicine.

    4. Firminooooo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      I will be happy with 8 points.The latest GWs my captain has given me 0, 6, 16, -2 points.

  29. CroatianHammer
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Took a glance at price trends and see Ings and Mané heading for a bump, with Grealish and someone else... but like 15 players marked red... so I think Pope survives again. There can't be so many selling him off if that many are near the bottom.

  30. Holmes
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Get rid of Mepham or Aurier?

    Mepham is out for 3 months. Getting rid of him over Aurier means 0 in the bank.

    1. Eddie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Mepham was an interesting pick. Get rid of him asap.