FPL Team News + Predicted Line-ups

Latest News: Mikel Arteta is hopeful of having Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Gabriel Martinelli (calf) and Kai Havertz (knee) fit for the trip to Bournemouth, with the latter two sighted arriving on the south coast on Friday evening. There hasn't yet however been a clear, definitive sighting of Saka, who Arteta earlier said didn't have a "serious injury" and who had "done bits" of training. Elsewhere, Martin Odegaard (ankle) and Kieran Tierney (hamstring) remain sidelined, while Takehiro Tomiyasu has rejoined the injury list. Thomas Partey has recovered from illness, however, while Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf), Jurrien Timber (muscle) and Ben White (groin) were also said to be "quite close" - and again, Zinchenko and White were seen arriving at Bournemouth on Friday evening. Trossard, Gabriel Jesus or Raheem Sterling (who we also didn't get a clear sight of when Arsenal descended on their hotel) may be needed to cover for Saka on the right, while it's probably whoever's fittest out of Zinchenko, White or Timber for the full-back spot opposite Riccardo Calafiori. If neither of them are ready, then Thomas Partey will likely reprise his Gameweek 7 role at right-back. The time could be right for Mikel Merino's first league start of the season, with the fit-again Spaniard getting more minutes in the tank for his country this week.

Latest News: The team news was overwhelmingly positive from Unai Emery on Friday, with the Villa boss effectively saying that everyone bar back-up goalkeeper Robin Olsen was fit for the trip to Fulham. That means that John McGinn (hamstring), Ezri Konsa (hamstring), Jacob Ramsey (groin), Amadou Onana (hamstring) and Jaden Philogene (unknown) are available, while even long-term absentees Tyrone Mings (knee) and Boubacar Kamara (knee) will be back in the squad after getting minutes with the under-21s over the last fortnight. Assuming everyone is fit to start, the main debates are probably Matty Cash v Diego Carlos at the back (Konsa will play either at centre-half or right-back depending on the decision) and Ramsey v Philogene v Leon Bailey out wide. The predicted XI here is the one that Emery may deem to be his strongest line-up - and indeed is the one he sent out in the first two Gameweeks of 2024/25 before injury struck.

Latest News: Andoni Iraola hopes to have a fully fit squad for the visit of Arsenal, with Tyler Adams (back) available after a long-term injury and Milos Kerkez expected to shake off a minor issue that forced his withdrawal from the Hungary squad. Iraola has only made changes to three outfield positions over the last six Gameweeks: Julian Araujo and Adam Smith have shared game-time at right-back, while the ever-present records of Marcos Senesi and Justin Kluivert have only been spoiled by one start apiece for Dean Huijsen and Dango Ouattara. Smith and Kluivert are perhaps the favourites to make way if there are to be any changes (the latter was hooked at half-time in Gameweek 7) but it was mostly profligacy to blame for defeat at Leicester, not a big dip in performance levels.

Latest News: Yoane Wissa (ankle) is ahead of schedule and is training, with Thomas Frank not even ruling out the prospect of him featuring at Old Trafford - although it'll surely be bench duty at best. It very much is too soon for Mathias Jensen (calf), Igor Thiago (knee), Gustavo Nunes (back) and Rico Henry (knee) to be involved, however, even though they’re also back on the grass. Henry featured in a behind-closed-doors game earlier this week. Longer-term absentees Aaron Hickey (hamstring) and Josh Dasilva (knee) also remain out but Christian Norgaard and Mikkel Damsgaard are fine after withdrawing from the Denmark squad last week. There are no fresh worries elsewhere, so Frank has the option to plump for the same starting XI he sent out for the 5-3 win over Wolves. The personnel might be the same but the shape could be different: Frank has traditionally been fond of a 3-5-2 in big-six encounters, so we could see Kristoffer Ajer and Keane Lewis-Potter operate as wing-backs rather than at full-back and on the left wing respectively. Kevin Schade has flattered to deceive of late and even if Wissa isn't fit, there's the possibility of Fabio Carvalho starting in his stead.

Latest News: Simon Adingra (unknown), Jan Paul van Hecke (groin) and Georginio Rutter (unknown) have all returned to training and are available but Adam Webster (hamstring) has joined James Milner (hamstring), Joao Pedro (ankle) and Matt O’Riley (ankle) on the injury list. Fabian Hurzeler also said on Thursday that Albion would continue to take their time with Solly March (knee), who is injury-free and has had game-time with the under-21s as he bids to build fitness after a very long lay-off. Hurzeler's comment about late returns for Pervis Estupinan and Julio Enciso suggests they may not start this weekend, while the Brighton boss saying "the rest will be available" implies Carlos Baleba is fine: there were fears for the midfielder after he was stretchered off in Cameroon’s win over Kenya last week but his national team boss said it was only a “light injury”. Mats Wieffer, Yasin Ayari or Jakub Moder could step into the void if Baleba is still a concern, while Estupinan's international exertions may see Ferdi Kadioglu continue at left-back or Jack Hinshelwood redeployed in defence. Yankuba Minteh and Kaoru Mitoma both got 170+ minutes for their national teams over the break, so there is the possibility of Rutter, Adingra and/or Brajan Gruda being used out wide.

Latest News: The return of Reece James (hamstring) means that Chelsea's senior squad is pretty much injury-free for the trip to Liverpool, although Ben Chilwell has missed training due to illness this week and two players, Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana, are suspended. Enzo Maresca surely won't throw James straight into the cauldron at Anfield, so it'll likely be Renato Veiga and Tosin Adarabioyo filling in for their banned colleagues. Further forward, Maresca has kept things unchanged over the last three Gameweeks. There might be some alterations for a daunting test on Merseyside, however, perhaps with Romeo Lavia coming back into the equation - either to form a three-man midfield as was used against Manchester City in Gameweek 1 or instead of Enzo Fernandez, who like Moises Caicedo returned late from South America and racked up three hours of game-time for his country. If it is a three-man midfield, Cole Palmer would move wide and displace Noni Madueke on the right. Pedro Neto is an alternative on either flank, while Christopher Nkunku is an option up top if Nicolas Jackson's 151 minutes for Senegal in the last week is an issue ahead of Sunday's clash with the league leaders.

Latest News: Chadi Riad (knee), Matt Turner (ineligible), Chris Richards (hamstring) and Matheus Franca (groin) are definitely out for Palace, while Cheick Doucoure (toe) is not quite ready to return: he'll be back in training after Monday's match. There is better news regarding Daniel Munoz and Adam Wharton (both groin), however. Oliver Glasner gave positive updates on both players when being interviewed by Sky Sports on Thursday, going one step further in his pre-match presser by declaring both players able to play. After a rotten run of form, Glasner apparently trialled a back four in a behind-closed-doors game over the international break. We might see a formation switch for this one, then, although the availability of Munoz and Trevoh Chalobah now being integrated into the first-team set-up could persuade his manager to stick with the 3-4-2-1/3-4-1-2. This match being played on a Monday night should help Jefferson Lerma recover from his international exertions in South America, with Will Hughes an alternative in the middle should either Lerma or Wharton not be ready to start. Ismaila Sarr and Daichi Kamada were also both in far-flung corners of the globe but again, the extra two days of recovery should negate any fatigue.

Latest News: Youssef Chermiti (foot) and Armando Broja (foot) remain out, while James Garner (back) and Tim Iroegbunam (foot) have been added to the injury list over the last fortnight. It sounds like Sean Dyche doesn't deem Nathan Patterson (hamstring) to be match-fit enough, either, despite the Scot featuring three times for the under-21s following a long lay-off. The clash with Ipswich Town may also come too soon for Jarrad Branthwaite (quad), who Dyche said was a "bit behind" Vitalli Mykolenko (calf) and Seamus Coleman (ankle): all three have been on the grass this week, with Mykolenko the likeliest to return to the starting XI. Michael Keane will be prepared to continue at centre-half, then, while Ashley Young will likely swap flanks if Coleman isn't ready to start; Garner had deputised at right-back in Gameweek 7. In terms of unenforced changes, Idrissa Gana Gueye could very well oust Orel Mangala from midfield after replacing the Belgian loanee early in the second half against Newcastle. Illiman Ndiaye is fine, incidentally: he shrugged off a mid-break injury to feature in Senegal's clash with Malawi on Tuesday and has trained with the Toffees since.

Latest News: Sasa Lukic (shoulder) and Timothy Castagne (hamstring) have returned from international duty with fitness issues, so the pair join the still-absent Carlos Vinicius (calf) and Jorge Cuenca (ankle) on the Fulham injury list. Lukic's absence could pave the way for Emile Smith Rowe to return to the starting XI, then, although that may have happened anyway (with Sander Berge dropping out) as Marco Silva's line-up at the Etihad seemed to be a horses-for-courses selection. Silva does have options in Harrison Reed and Tom Cairney if he doesn't want to leave Berge too exposed in the engine room, particularly against a dangerous Aston Villa side who are unexpectedly going to be at full strength. Joachim Andersen has been passed fit despite withdrawing from international duty with Denmark, while Silva seemed to have few concerns about the late returns of Raul Jimenez and Antonee Robinson from the Americas. Everyone else not already mentioned (Messrs Leno, Tete, Bassey, Pereira, Traore and Iwobi) are ever-present starters this season, and we wouldn't expect those records to be blemished this weekend.

Latest News: Axel Tuanzebe will be out for some time after suffering a freak injury at home that almost cost him a thumb, while Jens Cajuste (knee) and Massimo Luongo (ankle) are also still on the injury list. Dara O'Shea faces assessment on a back injury, too, but Ali Al-Hamadi (groin) was passed fit by Kieran McKenna on Friday. Luke Woolfenden will be on standby to deputise for O'Shea, while Ben Johnson looks set to continue in Tuanzebe's absence - although Harry Clarke is another option at right-back, if short of match-sharpness after a long period on the sidelines. The absences of Cajuste and Luongo likely cements the places of Kalvin Phillips and Sam Morsy in midfield, while Liam Delap looks set to lead the line once again. It's in the wide areas where the most uncertainty lies, with Chiedozie Ogbene, Jack Clarke, Wes Burns and Sammie Szmodics trading starts over the last few Gameweeks. Now we have Nathan Broadhead back fit again, with the winger getting some minutes for Wales over the international break.

Latest News: Steve Cooper confirmed on Thursday that Patson Daka (ankle), Jakub Stolarczyk (ankle) and Hamza Choudhury (shoulder) remain on the sidelines, while there are no other fresh concerns ahead of the trip to Southampton. The Foxes are fresh off the back of their first win of the season, so Cooper will be no doubt tempted to stick with the same set-up and personnel despite the slightly fortuitous nature of the victory over Bournemouth. An Argentina call-up for the in-form Facundo Buonanotte may be a hindrance to an unchanged starting XI but the attacking midfielder didn't kick a ball for his national side, so it's only jetlag and a lack of training time to consider. Cooper may have been hinting at a start for Buonanotte when saying that his "little challenge for Saturday" is to prove he can handle the rigours of international and domestic commitments but if he is reduced to impact substitute duty, then we may see Jordan Ayew move wide and one of Harry Winks or Bilal El Khanouss come into midfield. Abdul Fatawu is another right-sided winger, of course, but Cooper has been reluctant to start him in 2024/25.

Latest News: Arne Slot confirmed that Alisson (hamstring) would be out for "weeks" after he hobbled out of the win at Crystal Palace a fortnight ago. The Liverpool boss otherwise didn't mention too much on the team news front, failing to provide an update on Harvey Elliott (foot) and Federico Chiesa (unknown injury). As for his returning internationals, Slot said assessment would continue ahead of Sunday's game. Wataru Endo, Alexis Mac Allister and Kostas Tsimikas were namechecked in Friday's presser as players with "issues", the latter two (who both missed their country's first international match before returning for the second) not being seen in team training - along with Chiesa and Elliott - later in the day. Curtis Jones may be asked to deputise for Mac Allister, then, with Andrew Robertson very likely to return at left-back following his Gameweek 7 benching. Slot has shown a willingness to rotate in attack this season, and we could see some alterations accordingly. The game being played on Sunday also gives a boost to players late back from South America, although it's difficult to see Darwin Nunez - fresh from 180 minutes with Uruguay - displacing Diogo Jota up top for this one. Luis Diaz could well come in for Cody Gakpo, however, despite the air miles. Both players racked up identical minutes over the break, while Slot effectively said previously that Diaz came back the fitter of the two after the September internationals. With Gakpo starting three successive matches for club and country over the last fortnight, Diaz may be reinstated against Chelsea. Mohamed Salah is the one name you can pretty much guarantee starting in attack, having been permitted an early return from the Egypt camp to give him a nine-day breather.

Latest News: The trip to Wolves looks like it will come too soon for possibly Nathan Ake (hamstring) and definitely Kevin De Bruyne (thigh). Ake was seen in training on Thursday, so could potentially travel to Molineux, but won't be in contention for a start. Absent from training on the same day were Kyle Walker, Manuel Akanji, Ederson and Savinho, the latter two late back from international duty in South America. Akanji and the two Brazilians were namechecked by Pep Guardiola when he was asked about any fresh issues from the break, although the answer was none-too-comprehensible and he may have simply been referring to a "day off" after their midweek exertions. Guardiola sprung some teamsheet surprises immediately after the September break, benching Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Bernardo Silva and Jeremy Doku - all of whom, coincidence or otherwise, had started twice for their countries. The difference then is that Internazionale and Arsenal lay in wait later in the week; this time it's Slavia Prague and Southampton. Guardiola does not have too many alternatives in defence if Akanji and Walker are for whatever reason not ready to start (and that's a big if) but very much does further forward. Savinho's late return and Doku's 177 minutes for Belgium may be of significance, with Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden only getting one start over the last fortnight. You could envisage Guardiola unleashing Doku and Savinho down the flanks in home matches against Slavia and Southampton, too, so perhaps they'll be spared for those two encounters. Matheus Nunes is also an option, should his manager wish to add a bit more physicality against the hosts' combative midfield three of Joao Gomes, Mario Lemina and Andre.

Latest News: Amad Diallo (illness), Alejandro Garnacho (knee) and, surprisingly, Noussair Mazraoui have all returned to training following their withdrawals from international duty. Mazraoui had to have minor heart surgery over the break after experiencing palpitations but Erik ten Hag said he was "available for selection" this weekend. Gameweek 7 starters Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire are now sidelined with muscle problems, however, joining Leny Yoro (foot), Tyrell Malacia (knee) and Luke Shaw (calf) on the injury list. That list may also contain Manuel Ugarte (muscle) and Mason Mount (knock/head), who apparently did not train fully on Friday. Mazraoui's availability at least solves a headache at full-back, while Christian Eriksen and Casemiro are default starters in midfield if Ugarte and Mount follow Mainoo in being declared unavailable. Marcus Rashford would, you'd think, get the nod in one of the wide-midfield positions given his injury-free fortnight, with Garnacho's knee niggles perhaps handing Amad the chance on the opposite flank. Ten Hag has wasted no time in reinstating Rasmus Hojlund to his line-up, meanwhile, at the expense of Joshua Zirkzee. One of the main conundrums is at centre-half. Maguire will need replacing but with Jonny Evans arguably the best player on the pitch at Villa Park two weeks ago, Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt may be competing for just one spot.

Latest News: Alexander Isak (toe) looks set to return in Gameweek 8 but Callum Wilson (back) and Lewis Miley (back) may need more time. All three have trained this week, with Isak "in contention" according to Eddie Howe on Friday. Kieran Trippier (hamstring) meanwhile will be out for "a few weeks", joining Jamaal Lascelles (knee) and Sven Botman (knee) on the sidelines. Matt Targett hasn't been spotted since an eczema flare-up in late September, either. Martin Dubravka (knee) has been seen back on the grass, however, while the Magpies appear to have avoided any serious injuries over the international break. Miguel Almiron, in action for Paraguay in midweek, was the last to return on Friday. Tino Livramento looks set to replace Trippier in an otherwise unchanged back four, while the only likely question mark in midfield is over whether Sean Longstaff starts over Sandro Tonali - who spent nine months out of the game - after the latter's 170 minutes for Italy. Bruno Guimaraes, who featured for Brazil on Wednesday morning, has not been benched by Howe after an international break in either of the previous two seasons. Isak's expected return means Anthony Gordon can go back wide, so the question now is whether Howe goes for balance with Jacob Murphy on the right or starts the more potent Harvey Barnes and deploys Gordon on his less favourite side.

Latest News: Morgan Gibbs-White will definitely miss Monday's clash with Crystal Palace after being hit with a one-match suspension for his conduct following his Gameweek 5 dismissal. He is injured anyway, an ankle issue set to rule him out of proceedings even before Friday's disciplinary announcement. James Ward-Prowse also serves a one-match ban following his red card at Chelsea, while Danilo (ankle) and Ibrahima Sangare (hamstring) are out long term. Matz Sels (adductor) is fit, however, despite his withdrawal from the Belgium squad. Unless Nuno deems Monday's fixture the ideal time to hand Jota Silva or Ramon Sosa their first Premier League starts, then the midfield almost picks itself with Anthony Elanga and Nicolas Dominguez replacing the aforementioned suspended duo. The impressive back four meanwhile hasn't changed since Alex Moreno made his full Forest debut in Gameweek 4, while the late staging of this fixture hands Chris Wood a week of recovery following his globe-trotting with New Zealand.

Latest News: Ross Stewart (hamstring) has been added to the injury list, which otherwise only contains long-term absentee Gavin Bazunu (Achilles). Jack Stephens also has to serve the second match of a two-game ban, however. Will Smallbone (hamstring) and Kamaldeen Sulemana (ankle) are available, while Russell Martin confirmed on Thursday that Tyler Dibling was "fine" and "will be ready" despite withdrawing from the England under-19 squad over the last week. Gameweek 7 saw Saints deliver another bold but fruitless performance against Arsenal, with Martin as good as his word and returning some of the promotion-winning squad - including Ryan Manning, Kyle Walker-Peters and Joe Aribo - to his line-up. Ryan Fraser would also have started that match had illness not struck and he could well return to the starting XI here, with Martin perhaps sacrificing a defender (eg Manning) in order to proceed with a more offensive-minded formation. Cameron Archer looks set to replace Stewart after coming off the bench to score at the Emirates, while Martin could even bring in another attacking asset like Adam Armstrong, Ben Brereton Diaz or the back-in-favour Paul Onuachu depending on his appetite for risk. Adam Lallana is an alternative in midfield: he's perhaps better served off the bench given his advanced years but his one-and-only league start this season did come in a home match against the other newly promoted side, Ipswich Town, so he could oust perhaps Aribo here.

Latest News: Son Heung-min (hamstring) is "good to go" following a return to training over the break, while Richarlison (calf) is expected to come into the squad on Saturday after Ange Postecoglou declared the Brazilian injury-free. Lucas Bergvall has also shaken off a knock that saw him withdraw from international duty with Sweden, so it's only Wilson Odobert (hamstring) on the sidelines for the north Londoners. Postecoglou confirmed that all of his returning internationals have "got a clean bill of health", so there are no lingering concerns about Brennan Johnson after his precautionary substitution for Wales last week. Spurs are still licking their wounds following Brighton's second-half comeback win in Gameweek 7 but the Lilywhites had been in good form for the two-and-a-half games before that, so we're not expecting Postecoglou to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Son for Timo Werner is the obvious change if the South Korea international is fully fit: the German had been the weak link over the last few weeks, so he'll almost certainly make way if Son is deemed ready to start. Yves Bissouma v Rodrigo Bentancur is another possible debate in midfield but after the latter stayed with Spurs over the break and Bissouma was relatively late back, the Uruguayan may retain his place for now. A late return is also what Cristian Romero has had this week but Postecoglou has never previously benched him following international duty, and the Australian effectively quelled any talk of resting him in Friday's presser.

Latest News: Julen Lopetegui confirmed on Thursday that Niclas Fullkrug (Achilles) remains out but added that his squad are otherwise injury free - although he hadn't seen some of his returning internationals at that point. Edson Alvarez was the last through the door, indeed, on Friday. Logic would dictate that Lopetegui goes with the same starting XI after a 4-1 win over Ipswich Town; he'd even kept the same side from the one-all draw with Brentford. The likelihood of that may have increased following Alvarez's late arrival back to the UK.

Latest News: Hwang Hee-chan sustained ankle ligament damage on international duty, so joins Yerson Mosquera (knee), Boubacar Traore (knee), Sasa Kalajdzic (knee) and Enso Gonzalez (knee) on the injury list. Gary O'Neil otherwise said Wolves didn't have any fresh concerns for Sunday's visit of the champions, while he should soon be able to welcome back Bastien Meupiyou after the summer signing was spotted doing ball work on the training ground. A mauling at Brentford may well prompt some changes and you wouldn't be shocked if O'Neil reverts to the three-man backline he used for much of 2023/24. It was, in fact, while operating in a wing-back system that Wolves defeated City a year ago. Mario Lemina could be pushed forward as the de facto right-sided forward in the hypothetical new shape, or indeed be used as a centre-half alongside Craig Dawson and Toti Gomes. Otherwise, we could see Santiago Bueno return to the backline. Carlos Forbs may make way in whatever formation is employed, should O'Neil wish to proceed with caution against the side that stuck five goals past his troops in May.