After midweek cup action at home and abroad, there’s plenty of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) injury news to clarify for Gameweek 7.
We start with six pre-match press conferences that take place on Thursday.
We’ll be bringing you the latest key quotes and injury updates in the ‘live’ article below.
The other 14 top-flight managers will hold press conferences on Friday. For the latest on those sides, check out our early team news summary.
GAMEWEEK 7 TEAM NEWS: THURSDAY’S INJURY UPDATES
- Everton: Three still sidelined, Branthwaite concern, Patterson only lacking match fitness
- Fulham: Cuenca + Vinicius still out, everyone else fit
- West Ham United: Alvarez returns from suspension, Fullkrug still out
- Ipswich Town: Cajuste out, other knocks reported
- Leicester City: Vestergaard trains, Choudhury dislocates shoulder
- Southampton: Stephens banned again, Sulemana + Smallbone not ready
GAMEWEEK 7 TEAM NEWS: THURSDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
Times in BST
EVERTON
Seamus Coleman (ankle), Youssef Chermiti (foot) and Armando Broja (foot) remain out for the Toffees.
“[Chermiti and Broja] are a bit longer, those two. Coleman’s a bit longer, as well, not too much longer. We’d be hopeful over this international period that he gets closer.” – Sean Dyche
Reports on Thursday evening meanwhile suggest Jarrad Branthwaite is a doubt with a fresh quad injury.
Only match fitness is holding Nathan Patterson (hamstring) back: he’s now featured twice for the under-21s as he recovers from a long lay-off.
“Patto is more common sense now, he’s out training all the time but he need a game programme after being out just around that six-months mark. A bit of a longer-term situation but he’s making progress and he’s training regularly. So far, so good.
“Patto, we know and he knows, he’s still searching for that true fitness and that sharpness.” – Sean Dyche on Nathan Patterson.
WEST HAM UNITED
The only confirmed absentee that West Ham have going into the weekend is Niclas Fullkrug (Achilles).
He hasn’t been seen since the September internationals and despite reportedly returning to training last week, he remains unavailable.
“About the injuries, we have the Fullkrug injury that he continues out [with]. He’s not available. The rest, they are ready.
“We’d like him fit now but he’s having little problems. They are not very important but it’s enough time, it’s true. We lost him from the first break to the second break. Hopefully, we are going to have him ready in the next matches.” – Julen Lopetegui
Edson Alvarez is back from a one-match ban.
There was no mention of Mohammed Kudus, who Lopetegui reportedly clashed with at half-time last weekend. The West Ham boss had substituted his winger at the interval.
FULHAM
Carlos Vinicius (calf) and Jorge Cuenca (ankle) remain out for the Cottagers.
Vinicius was ruled out for 8-10 days nearly three weeks ago but is still sidelined, according to Marco Silva.
Cuenca, who hasn’t featured since mid-September, posted a social media image a week ago of his swollen ankle.
“Not big changes from last week. Jorge Cuenca is still out, Carlos Vinicius still out. All the other players they are going to be available for the match.” – Marco Silva
IPSWICH TOWN
Kieran McKenna said on Thursday that Jens Cajuste has “a little issue with his knee”. The central midfielder will miss Gameweek 7 but could return thereafter.
“He’s getting on OK, he’s had a little issue with his knee. He’s missed this week, hopefully another week or two and he’ll be back with us after the international break.” – Kieran McKenna on Jens Cajuste
McKenna added that there were some other “little issues” that are being assessed, too. The Ipswich boss said that there might be a change or two as a result.
“We have a got a few being assessed before Saturday. There’s a chance that there will be one or two changes to the team, but some of them are going to be pretty late calls.” – Kieran McKenna, quotes in the East Anglian Daily Times
Nathan Broadhead (hamstring) and Harry Clarke (Achilles) have been back in training for a few weeks and have been effectively cleared to play, even though they have yet to feature in a matchday squad.
LEICESTER CITY
Patson Daka (ankle) and Jakub Stolarczyk (ankle) remain on the sidelines for Leicester.
Hamza Choudhury has joined the injury list, meanwhile. He has dislocated his shoulder and will be out for “a little while”.
“Unfortunately, Hamza dislocated his shoulder yesterday in training. It was a very unfortunate innocuous situation so we’re still working out the extent of how long he will be out. It’s settling down but it’s certainly going to be a little while. Whether that’s weeks or months we’re not quite sure yet.” – Steve Cooper
The Foxes’ head coach, Steve Cooper, revealed on Thursday that Jannik Vestergaard (ankle) was back in training.
The centre-half has been named in Denmark’s squad for the October internationals, too.
“Jannik started training fully today, so he’s back with the group.” – Steve Cooper
Like McKenna above, Cooper said that a few others had knocks that would need to be assessed.
“There’s been a couple of kicks on some players that we’ve had to manage through the week that have not trained yet. Hopefully, they’re just getting over that now and we’ll see if they’re available for the weekend.” – Steve Cooper
SOUTHAMPTON
Gavin Bazunu (Achilles) is a long-term absentee for Saints, who will have Jack Stephens suspended for another two fixtures.
Stephens had just finished a three-match ban when he was slapped with a fresh two-match suspension for using abusive language.
Russell Martin confirmed on Thursday that Will Smallbone (hamstring) and Kamaldeen Sulemana (ankle) are not quite ready to return.
“I don’t think [there are any new injuries]. I think it’s pretty much as is. Will Smallbone not quite back fit yet, Kamaldeen the same. So, hopefully after the international break we’ll have Will definitely available and maybe Kamaldeen as well.” – Russell Martin
Martin went on to admit in his presser that the strikerless set-up at Bournemouth didn’t work – and he also discussed the starting prospects of £4.6m FPL forward Ross Stewart.
“It’s really easy with hindsight but I should have played with a nine, whether that’s Ross [Stewart], Paul [Onuachu], Adam [Armstrong] or Cam [Archer].
“I think [Stewart] did great. I think it’s very different to ask for him to start at the Emirates after his journey and stuff but we’ll wait and see. I think he played really, really well, he’s trained really well and now we have a big decision to make on the team.” – Russell Martin
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