FPL Gameweek 8 injury and team news: Updates on Raphinha, Torres and more

We’ve got all the Gameweek 8 team news so far in our latest injury round-up of the pre-match press conferences, with Raphinha the headline act from Thursday’s conference calls.

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa was one of six Premier League head coaches to face the media on Thursday, while a further 13 top-flight bosses are set to provide us with injury updates on Friday.

New Watford head coach Claudio Ranieri spoke to reporters yesterday and you can find updates on the Hornets’ injury latest here.

We’ll round up the key updates from today’s pressers in the article below. Don’t forget to keep checking our Predicted Line-ups page and Injuries and Bans tab, which will be gradually updated between now and Saturday’s Fantasy Premier League (FPL) deadline.

LEEDS UNITED

Raphinha’s involvement against Southampton looks in some doubt and will partly hinge on how many minutes he racks up for Brazil in their World Cup qualifier against Uruguay on Friday morning.

Marcelo Bielsa said that there were “many aspects to consider” when evaluating whether Raphinha would feature, citing game-time and travel as factors.

“The options that he has to participate in the game on Saturday depends on whether he plays this final [Brazil] game tonight, how many minutes he plays, how he finishes the game, after he has participated in it, how efficient the rest he can have in the next 36 hours is considering that a third of those will be spent flying, and if there’s any risk that the fatigue could cause injuries, then we won’t risk him. There are so many aspects to consider that I can’t offer you any certainties either way.” – Marcelo Bielsa on Raphinha

Robin Koch (pelvis), Patrick Bamford (ankle) and Luke Ayling (knee) remain out but Bielsa confirmed on Thursday that Adam Forshaw (thigh) and Crysencio Summerville (illness) have been passed fit, while Kalvin Phillips (calf) “has chances” of being able to play after withdrawing from the England squad over the international break.

“Bamford won’t play. He has a problem in his ankle which we informed previously. His recovery is subject to the evolution of the injury. I anticipated a date [for him to return], it wouldn’t be because I have arguments to do so. The evolution we have to control is on a day-to-day.

“Kalvin [Phillips] has chances of being able to do so.

“Koch is in the US where he will undergo a simple procedure to try and solve his problem in the pubis. Ayling is at the halfway stage of his process of recovery. Forshaw and Summerville are available again.” – Marcelo Bielsa

BURNLEY

Ben Mee will miss the trip to Manchester City after testing positive for Covid-19, while Matej Vydra and Charlie Taylor are doubts after picking up knocks over the international break.

Maxwell Cornet‘s hamstring injury looks to have cleared up, however, with the winger jetting off to join up with the Ivory Coast squad in the last week and then rejoining training today.

“The only one we’ve got missing, not because of injury but because of Covid, unfortunately, is Ben Mee. He’s fine but he’s tested positive so he has to go through the protocols before he comes back in.

“A few knocks, Vyds come back with a bit of a knock, so we’ll wait and see on that one. Probably touch and go. Charlie Taylor has had a couple of knocks, a little bit touch and go on him. Maxwell [Cornet] has come through fine, he’s trained today.” – Sean Dyche

ARSENAL

Granit Xhaka (knee) is a long-term absentee but aside from a “minor injury” that renders Gabriel Martinelli a doubt for the visit of Crystal Palace, Mikel Arteta said that he had no fitness concerns following the end of the October international break. 

“Not any bad news, at the moment everybody seems to be OK. Granit [Xhaka] is progressing really well but obviously, we know that it’s a long-term injury.

“We haven’t had the players here yet. Some of them because they’re still traveling and they’ve not been assessed by the medical staff.

“Unfortunately, [Martinelli] got injured last week – it’s a minor injury and we don’t know if he’s going to be available for Monday.” – Mikel Arteta

SOUTHAMPTON

Che Adams (muscle) has joined Jack Stephens (knee) on the sidelines for Southampton’s clash with Leeds, although the striker’s injury – unlike that of Stephens – isn’t a serious one.

Tino Livramento was among the Southampton players who were representing their countries over the October international break but, Adams aside, Ralph Hasenhuttl has reported no fresh concerns from his returning squad members.

James Ward-Prowse begins a three-match ban, however.

“Jack Stephens is still out. We have Che Adams returning back from the internationals with a muscle injury. It’s not too serious but for this game on the weekend, he is definitely out.

“I’ve not seen everybody back so far but the reports have been quite positive for the rest, that they are all well.” – Ralph Hasenhuttl

BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION

Steven Alzate (ankle) and Danny Welbeck (hamstring) are both set for spells on the sidelines after undergoing surgery but Brighton have been handed a boost by the return of Enock Mwepu (groin), Adam Webster (hamstring) and Yves Bissouma (knee) to training.

“Both Danny Welbeck and Steven Alzate suffered injuries in the Crystal Palace match which require surgery, and therefore both players will be out for a significant period of time.

“Enock Mwepu, Adam Webster and Yves Bissouma are back in training, and all three have a chance of being available for selection this weekend.” – Graham Potter

BRENTFORD

Thomas Frank confirmed late this afternoon that Kristoffer Ajer (hamstring) and Vitaly Janelt (thigh) should both be fit to play for Brentford against Chelsea after missing out in Gameweek 7.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Aside from the six official pre-match pressers, there was also news emerging from Spain that Ferran Torres is set to miss up to six weeks of action with a foot fracture. Manchester City confirmed the midfielder is injured but haven’t put an exact timeframe on his recovery.

Everton boss Rafael Benitez was speaking to the club’s in-house media, meanwhile, and said of his walking wounded:

“The international break is an opportunity to bring back players. Alex Iwobi was training and [so were] Digne and Coleman – that is good news for us – they have started training with the team.

“The others are improving and we will see in the week how they are. Lucas [Digne] had an issue and for two or three days was under treatment but he has started training.

“Fingers crossed [for Yerry Mina], hopefully everything will be fine in the last game [for Colombia], then we will see.” – Rafael Benitez