There’s plenty of midweek league and cup football ahead of us and the pre-match press conferences have begun already.
While there’s nothing that we Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers can do now to affect the outcome of Blank/Double Gameweek 25, there are a number of pertinent updates that could influence your thinking for Gameweek 26 and beyond.
FULHAM
Three days too late for many Fantasy managers, Aleksandar Mitrovic (hamstring) has been passed fit to face Leeds United in Tuesday’s FA Cup fifth-round tie at Craven Cottage.
“From the last game, that is the only different thing, that Mitro [is available].
“Of course, Mitro is really important for us. If he is in a good condition, physical and mental as well, he is always a threat for the opposition sides and he’s always a big help for us.” – Marco Silva
Tom Cairney (shin) and Neeskens Kebano (Achilles) remain out.
MANCHESTER CITY
Having sat out last week’s UEFA Champions League draw in Leipzig and then watched on from the bench in Saturday’s win over Bournemouth, Kevin De Bruyne (illness) is “better” ahead of Manchester City’s FA Cup tie at Bristol City.
John Stones (hamstring) and Aymeric Laporte (illness) have been back in training recently but the typically taciturn Pep Guardiola didn’t give away anything on the defenders’ availability before the Citizens’ trip to Ashton Gate.
“Still a little illness, a little bit, but he is much better.” – Pep Guardiola on Kevin De Bruyne
“We are training this afternoon.” – Pep Guardiola on Aymeric Laporte and John Stones
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
With two confirmed Double Gameweeks to come in the near future and up to three more to follow in the run-in, Brighton players are about to become hot property in FPL.
Two of the key transfer targets are now flagged as doubts for Gameweek 26, however, having been ruled out of the Seagulls’ midweek FA Cup tie; Pervis Estupinan (muscle) and Solly March (unspecified), it turns out, won’t be able to do it on a cold Tuesday night in Stoke.
Estupinan had been withdrawn in Gameweek 24 with “tightness” but Roberto De Zerbi said at the time that the left-back’s injury was “not a big problem”.
Adam Lallana (muscle) and Jakub Moder (knee) are out long-term but Danny Welbeck (calf) is available and Levi Colwill (muscle) and Billy Gilmour (unspecified) are back in training.
“Estupinan isn’t on the list for tomorrow but Welbeck is. Colwill is working with us today and Gilmour also. Solly can’t play tomorrow but it is not a big problem.
“[Colwill is] not available. I think he needs one or two weeks to work with us inside of the group but he feels good and well.” – Roberto De Zerbi
EVERTON
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (hamstring) isn’t going to play any part in Everton’s Double Gameweek 25, while Nathan Patterson (knee) is also set to sit out the midweek trip to Arsenal.
Andros Townsend (ACL) and James Garner (back) are missing from Wednesday’s squad but the latter is nearing a return.
“They’ve [Garner and Patterson] been out a while, so they both need games.
“Jimmy is going well, he is getting fitter and stronger. There’s another [under-21] game this week, so I will probably get him in that one. Then you are saying ‘after three months out, you should be classed as being fit’ if you like, but he’s going well.”
“Patto is just a bit behind (Garner), he will need a bit more than that.” – Sean Dyche
Dyche refused to put a timescale on Calvert-Lewin’s recovery.
LEICESTER CITY
James Maddison (illness) should be fit for the weekend but the prognosis looks gloomier for Youri Tielemans (ankle), who could miss a number of games after picking up an injury in Gameweek 25.
Jonny Evans (thigh) is now back in training for the Foxes but may get game-time with the youth team before a first-team return.
“[Maddison is] feeling better. We’ll see where he’s at for tomorrow. If it’s not good, then he’ll be [fit] for the weekend.
“[Evans] trained with the squad this morning. I think it’s getting Jonny through this week, seeing where we’re at towards the end of the week, then decide what his plan looks like after that. It’s really just reintroducing back into training again. By the end of the week, we’ll have an idea of whether he needs some game-time with the under-23s or [not], just assess it day by day.
“We’re just waiting on the scan results for Youri. That’ll come through today. It doesn’t look good. He did incredibly well to come back onto the pitch. When you see it, it looks a real nasty one, so we’ll have to see what the results are today.” – Brendan Rodgers
LEEDS UNITED
Javi Gracia once again gave little away on the team news front ahead of the cup clash with Fulham although did at least say that there were no new concerns compared to Gameweek 25.
“You know, I don’t like to speak much about injured players. But I try to tell you something. In this moment, we are in the same situation in respect of the injured players. The players [who] were available in the last game will be available. In this case, [Sam] Greenwood will be suspended.” – Javi Gracia
Rodrigo Moreno (ankle), Adam Forshaw (hip) and Stuart Dallas (knee) are still unavailable, while Archie Gray (ankle) and Luis Sinisterra (muscle) have also been on the sidelines of late.
Pascal Struijk hasn’t featured since being concussed almost three weeks ago.
STILL TO COME TOMORROW
Jurgen Klopp is among the managers set to face the media at 1.30pm on Tuesday, so we may get an update on Darwin Nunez (shoulder) ahead of Wednesday’s Gameweek 25 clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
We should also be hearing from Mikel Arteta, Julen Lopetegui, Erik ten Hag, Cristian Stellini (in for Antonio Conte), David Moyes and Ruben Selles, although some of their pre-match pressers may take the form of embargoed quotes held over from weekend games.
