FPL Gameweek 19 team news: Injury & Covid updates from Arsenal, Villa and Brighton

The pre-match press conferences for Gameweek 19 have started nice and early, with Christmas bringing forward many of the usual media gatherings by a day or two.

We’ve had three already from Mikel Arteta, Steven Gerrard and Graham Potter on Wednesday, while Thomas Tuchel and Brendan Rodgers will face reporters immediately after their EFL Cup quarter-final ties; the Gameweek 19 section of those conference calls will likely be embargoed until later in the week.

More Premier League head coaches will face the media ahead of Sunday’s Fantasy Premier League (FPL) deadline, with the bulk of the rest expected on Thursday and a smattering on Christmas Eve.

With the coronavirus pandemic, of course, much can happen between a press conference and kick-off, so keep tabs on our site and the below article for the latest updates.

ARSENAL

Sead Kolasinac (ankle) will miss the trip to Norwich, while Calum Chambers, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Pablo Mari are also currently sidelined with Covid-19 – although the UK government’s recent tweak to the coronavirus protocol, which gives individuals the chance to end their quarantine after the production of two negative tests on days six and seven of their self-isolation, does leave the door potentially open for an earlier-than-expected return.

“We didn’t pick [up] any injuries [against Sunderland in the EFL Cup] yesterday. Before the game, as you know, we lost Calum [Chambers] with Covid. We will be tested every day and see how it goes. Touch wood!” – Mikel Arteta

The availability of Ainsley Maitland-Niles (non-Covid illness) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (muscle) wasn’t discussed in Mikel Arteta’s pre-match press conference, although it’s probably only the latter who is relevant from a first-team perspective anyway.

The Arsenal right-back was substituted in the win over Leeds last Saturday but Arteta said afterward that Tomiyasu was “hopefully not injured”, suggesting that the withdrawal was precautionary in nature.

The Japan international wasn’t sighted in training on Monday, however.

“It was more of a muscular injury. He’s got a big load on him because he’s played every single minute since he’s joined us and even this week he’s been struggling a little bit. We decided to take him off, he wasn’t 100 per cent confident to continue in the game, and hopefully, he’s not injured.” – Mikel Arteta speaking about Takehiro Tomiyasu’s injury on Saturday

As for the ostracised Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has been overlooked recently because of a disciplinary breach, his manager said a decision on the former captain’s involvement at Carrow Road hadn’t yet been taken.

“We will go game by game and we’ll decide the squad as we get closer to the game.” – Mikel Arteta on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s chances of a recall

ASTON VILLA

Steven Gerrard claimed to be as in the dark as the rest of us regarding Aston Villa’s latest fitness situation, with Covid continuing to play havoc with his plans.

“I don’t really know because it’s changing every hour, it’s changing on a daily basis. As you know, it’s very unpredictable. We’re testing every day, both lateral flow and PCR. It’s changed as in the last hour. I don’t really know what position we’re going to be in, come the game. At the moment we’ve got enough to play and I expect the game to go ahead. I hope the game goes ahead. It’s a game we’re very much looking forward to. But in terms of the Covid picture and the situation here at Villa, it’s changing on a daily basis, so it’s very unpredictable and hard to call.

“We’ve got a few of the playing staff returning. We had one yesterday and we’ve got one today returning and a couple of staff members returning in the next 24 hours so I suppose that’s positive news. We’ve also had a false positive that has gone in our way in the last 24 hours. We’ve also had a positive situation in the last two days as well so it’s very mixed. It’s an ongoing situation and we’ve still got three rounds of testing to go before the game – three lateral flows and a PCR test to come as well.

“If you’re asking for any team news or what my thoughts are on the team then you’re wasting your time because I don’t even know myself!” – Steven Gerrard

The squad members previously affected by Covid haven’t been officially confirmed but Jed Steer, Morgan Sanson, Anwar El Ghazi and Keinan Davis were all missing in Gameweek 17 – and the last three of those players were then ruled out of an ultimately postponed Gameweek 18 match against Burnley.

Added to the above, the fixture against the Clarets was called off “due to an increased amount of positive Covid-19 test results” within Villa’s squad, so other players were clearly affected.

On the injury front, Marvelous Nakamba (knee) and Leon Bailey (thigh) remain out. Ashley Young (unspecified issue) had been labelled as “50/50” to face Sean Dyche’s side, so may now be closer to a return given the additional recovery period, while Bertrand Traore (thigh) had previously been targeting a return to training “just before Christmas”.

BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION

Graham Potter revealed on Wednesday that Brighton have “a couple” of Covid-related issues but added that Danny Welbeck, Pascal Gross and Neal Maupay – the latter two thought to be among those missing out in Gameweek 17 because of positive coronavirus tests – will all be available.

Joel Veltman‘s muscle problem isn’t as bad as first thought, with Potter saying the issue was “more fatigue”. A late decision will still have to be taken on the Dutchman, however.

The Albion boss also confirmed that Adam Webster (calf) has been back in training this week and will be available for the game against Brentford if there are no setbacks but Jeremy Sarmiento (hamstring) and Lewis Dunk (knee) remain unavailable.

Yves Bissouma is suspended after he picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in Gameweek 17 but Shane Duffy returns from his own one-match ban.