Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers have been left chewing their fingernails ahead of Gameweek 22, with managers giving little away on team news.
LIVERPOOL v BRIGHTON
Jurgen Klopp revealed it’s “as it was” for Liverpool’s injury list, so Sadio Mane (£11.9m) could miss their upcoming fixture with Brighton after being ruled out of the Spurs game.
Klopp also does not appear to be too keen on rushing Ben Davies (£5.0m) and Ozan Kabak (£5.0m) into the first team, even with Liverpool’s injury problems in defence.
“They will need time but we don’t have a lot of time. If they had to start tomorrow night together I think that wouldn’t be too cool. We will give them a few more days.”
Jurgen Klopp
Seagulls fans will face an anxious wait ahead of the Liverpool game, with boss Graham Potter announcing two key players had injury problems
“Alexis Mac Allister (£5.3m) has a slight issue in his glutes, so we’ll see how he is. Joel Veltman (£4.3m) also felt a bit of tightness, but we’ll give them some time before we make those decisions. We have no other issues from the game yesterday.”
Graham Potter
Danny Welbeck (£5.5m) and Alireza Jahanbakhsh (£5.4m) are expected to be out for another week.
FPL favourite Tariq Lamptey (£4.6m) is not expected to return for another two weeks at least.
New signing Moises Caicedo is not expected to go straight into the team, according to Potter’s latest comments.
“He will need time to settle in with the group, for us to get to know him & vice versa, as well as get up to speed and ready for the demands of the Premier League.”
Graham Potter
BURNLEY v MANCHESTER CITY
Pep Guardiola reported no new injury problems for Man City ahead of their game with Burnley, with Sergio Aguero (£10.3m) still not fit enough to play a part.
Everyone is fine except Nathan Ake (£5.4m). Sergio Aguero needs time. He suffered with Covid
Pep Guardiola
Sean Dyche could be missing his two first-choice strikers, with others carrying knocks.
“Charlie Taylor (£4.5m) and Ashley Barnes (£6.0m) are touch and go, we’re waiting on more news on Chris Wood (£6.2m) and Robbie Brady (£5.0m) has a little niggle on his Achilles, but nothing major.”
Sean Dyche
MANCHESTER UNITED v SOUTHAMPTON
It was good news for Manchester United fans, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer saying he has a fully fit squad to choose from for the Southampton game.
The club legend did, however, hint some of his squad may need to be rotated:
“Apart from the wear and tear and the quick turnaround, everyone should be available. They’re not injured anyway. It’s just a matter of energy levels and seeing how they feel tomorrow. No new, fresh injuries anyway.”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Southampton look set to be without Theo Walcott (£5.8m), Ibrahima Diallo (£4.5m) and Oriol Romeu (£4.5m), who were all substituted against Aston Villa due to injury.
“They are not okay. We must have a look. Theo is something a bit serious, I think. Ibra, maybe also. Ori – we don’t know.”
Ralph Hassenhuttl
ASTON VILLA V WEST HAM
Villa gaffer Dean Smith only has a couple of injury problems ahead of their clash with West Ham.
Centre-back Kortney Hause (£4.4m) looks like he’ll be out of the squad until March with injury:
“Kortney has had his scan and he’s got a problem with his foot, he’s going to be out for at least 4-6 weeks. It was a blow because he came in the team, played four games and was excellent.”
Dean Smith
Smith could not give a date for the return of striker Wesley (£6.0m), who has been out for 13 months with a knee injury.
Striker Michail Antonio (£6.6m) looks set to lead the line for the Hammers, with David Moyes describing him as fully fit.
“Everything is ok. There are a couple of knocks and niggles which we’ll look at this morning but in general everything is ok. Michail Antonio is ok too with his fitness. We’re pleased he’s come through the recent games well.”
David Moyes
January loan signing Jesse Lingard (£5.9m) could also make the matchday squad, despite barely featuring for Man United this season.
“Jesse’s fitness levels are fine. He’s a lean boy and doesn’t carry any weight so he’s in good shape.”More than anything it’s making sure he’s match ready to play and you only get that by playing matches. We’ll have him in and around the squad tomorrow.”
David Moyes
WOLVES V ARSENAL
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.3m) has returned to training and could be available for selection again after missing Arsenal’s last two games due to personal reasons.
Bukayo Saka (£5.4m) has also returned to training after missing Saturday’ game due to a sore hip, with his availability being “assessed” ahead of the Wolves game.
Missing the Wolves fixture will be Kieran Tierney (£5.3m), who is suffering from discomfort in his lower right leg.
Manager Mikel Arteta could not confirm if striker Alexandre Lacazette (£8.4m) would be available after being taken off with a head injury in the Manchester United game.
“We have to follow the protocols. We have to test him and make an x-ray. He was completely fine after the game, he was fine yesterday, he has slept well and I’m expecting him to be available.”
Mikel Arteta
Dani Ceballos (£4.7m) and Pablo Mari (£4.4m) could make their returns against Wolves after returning to training this week.
Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo will have none of the four players able to play at left-back will be available for the Arsenal game.
“We’ve had problems on that side of defence. The players who are able to play there, Marcal (£4.7m), Jonny (£5.4m), Rayan Ait-Nouri (£5.0m), Romain Saiss (£5.0m), we don’t have them now. Jonny went to Spain and saw the specialist that operated on him. All the signs are good, he rejoined us for yesterday’s training and today. He’s getting closer, so he’s getting better to be in the squad. I cannot say a date. He’s working, he still has some tests to do, some protocols to follow, but he’s getting better, he’s training, and when the moment comes, it will be very good for us.
“Rayan came out at half-time with a problem on his left abductor. He has a small injury there, so will need some time. On Marcal, we made a small surgery in the abdominal area, now he is recovering. He is getting better, but I think it’s some time to go until he re-joins the group, but we have to find the solution. But it’s not about being disappointed on not having those options, it’s about finding the best ones to try to deliver.”
LEEDS v EVERTON
Striker Rodrigo (£5.7m) is likely to miss the Everton game with manager Marcelo Bielsa fearing he could have damaged a muscle in the Leicester game.
“Rodrigo’s having a scan at the moment to evaluate his situation. He had an action where his feet were very wide apart. Potentially that excessive stretch could have caused a muscular injury.”
Marcelo Bielsa
He also refused to confirm if Patrick Bamford (£6.6m) and Raphinha (£5.4m) would start against Everton, but the pair’s situation is more “safe”.
“The other two cases are less worrying. Two days prior to a game you can’t be sure any player is going to be available. The problems Raphinha and Bamford have to overcome are more safe.”
Marcelo Bielsa
Defenders Diego Llorente (£4.4m) and Robin Koch (£4.3m) look to be long-term absentees.
There is no word yet on midfielder Ian Poveda (£4.3m), who had to be helped from the field after getting injured in an under-23s game on Monday.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton side will be without their first choice goalkeeper, with Jordan Pickford (£4.8m) set to miss out.
Key central midfielder Allan (£5.2m) has also not recovered in time to feature.
“Fabian Delph (£4.8m) is back in the squad, Allan not yet, Jean-Phillipe Gbamin (£5.0m) not yet, and we have out also Pickford with a side injury, he will not be available for the game but I hope for Saturday he will be available.
I think it was a save at the end of the game against Newcastle I think he touched the post on his rib. Robin Olsen (£4.5m) will start the game tomorrow if nothing happens today.”
Carlo Ancelotti
FULHAM v LEICESTER
Foxes talisman Jamie Vardy (£10.0m) could make his return to the side against Wolves in Gameweek 23, with manager Brendan Rodgers revealing his surgery had gone well.
Full-back Timothy Castagne (£5.7m) looks set for a spell on the sidelines, with Rodgers saying he is suffering with a hamstring injury.
Centre-back Wesley Fofana (£5.0m) is also suffering from hamstring problems and is a doubt for the Fulham game.
Fulham boss Scott Parker reported no new injury concerns.
NEWCASTLE v CRYSTAL PALACE
Steve Bruce could finally be about to unleash Allan Saint-Maximin (£5.1m) from the start in Gameweek 22.
“He’s had three substitute appearances and we think he could be ready to start.”
Steve Bruce
Club captain Jamal Lascelles (£4.2m) who went off injured against Everton could be facing a spell on the sidelines, along with two other Newcastle players.
“Jamaal [Lascelles] and Fede [Fernández] (£4.7m)… have picked up muscle injuries. We don’t know if it’s related to the illnesses they’ve had. Jamaal’s having a scan today, I don’t think he’ll make tomorrow. Paul Dummett (£4.4m) will be available tomorrow. The only concern I’ve got at the moment, Ryan Fraser (£5.6m) unfortunately has been sick all weekend. He couldn’t make training yesterday. We don’t think it’s related to COVID. We’ll see how he is today.”
Steve Bruce
Crystal Palace’s injury crisis appears to be getting even worse according to the latest words from boss Roy Hodgson.
James McArthur (£5.2m) obviously was injured for that game and unfortunately we did pick up a couple of quite serious knocks in the game, so at this moment in time I’ve got a couple of other players we have to really look at and assess whether they can make it tomorrow. And then there’s the usual suspects. So the injury situation for us at the moment is not good.
Roy Hodgson
Some good news for Eagles fans will have been that January signing Jean-Phillipe Mateta (£6.0m) is fully fit and could make his debut against Newcastle.
SPURS VS CHELSEA
With the game taking place on Thursday, we will not hear from Jose Mourinho or Thomas Tuchel until after the Gameweek 22 deadline.
SHEFFIELD UNITED v WEST BROM
Like last week, boss Chris Wilder “played a straight bat” when it came to team news, refusing to confirm if Enda Stevens (£5.0m) or Ben Osborn (£4.7m) would be available for selection.
Wilder did stress getting key players fit again would be key if the Blades have any chance of staying up.
“Us at our best has to have everyone fit and firing that’s been key to us getting big performances and big results and when big players are out that is going to affect me and my selection – it is going to stretch us when we can’t call upon Lys Mousset (£5.8m), Oli McBurnie (£5.6m), Sander Berge (£4.9m), Jack O’Connell (£4.7m), it’s unprecedented in my time here and we have to keep producing performances like last week – Oli coming back and getting on the pitch was great and he can give us that boost at the top of the pitch.”
Chris Wilder
Sam Allardyce also kept his cards close to his chest, not revealing which of the Baggies’ January signings would be thrown straight into the team.
“When you start picking the same team, without any question of a doubt you’ll fall into problems,” he continued.It’s impossible to keep the players going, that same 11. As much as you’d like to.
“We’ve got to make a few changes, bring a few fresh legs in and start from the beginning against Sheffield United to try and win.”
Sam Allardyce
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