With six more Double Gameweek 29 fixtures to come on Tuesday and Wednesday, we’ve got some bonus pre-match press conferences to wade through.
Roberto De Zerbi, Jurgen Klopp, Javi Gracia, Gary O’Neil, Steve Cooper and Chelsea interim boss Bruno Saltor all faced the media on Monday, while we should hopefully hear more from Erik ten Hag, Eddie Howe, Thomas Frank and David Moyes on Tuesday.
While there’s nothing we Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers can do with the information now, here are the headline updates.
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
Roberto De Zerbi confirmed on Monday that Evan Ferguson, who missed Saturday’s six-goal thriller at the Amex with a minor injury, was fit to face Bournemouth.
De Zerbi had less positive news on Tariq Lamptey (knee), saying that the full-back’s situation was “difficult” and that he remains out. The Brighton boss had previously said he expected Lamptey to play some part in Double Gameweek 29.
Jeremy Sarmiento (metatarsal), Adam Lallana (hamstring) and Jakub Moder (ACL) are longer-term absentees.
“Ferguson is available, no other news.
“It is a difficult situation [with Lamptey]. We will see in the next week. It is important for us, not only in the first XI but to have some solutions on the bench. The last game we finished the game with Solly March and Pascal Gross [at full-back] and we have to find another solution if Lamptey will not be [fit].” – Roberto De Zerbi
Rotation is the big concern for owners of Brighton assets, with De Zerbi setting alarm bells ringing when saying after full-time on Saturday that his returning internationals “can be tired”. The nerves may have been jangling further when the Albion boss said on Monday that back-up attacker Julio Enciso “can start” against the Cherries.
“This game, Julio can start in the first XI for sure. Yes, I think [he’s ready], yes. He played very well [against Brentford], he was important in the last part of the last game. I think he has to think only of the team and not for himself because he always tries to score, tries to make the individual play – but it’s normal, he has a personality, he has courage. I like him and I think he can become important for us in this game.
“Sarmiento has an injury, Facundo [Buonanotte] the same with Julio but maybe Facundo is deeper, he arrived two months ago and it’s more difficult for him.” Roberto De Zerbi on Julio Enciso
“To improve in the details, for example, and to progress with the players who are not playing so much, like Julio Enciso, Undav, Gilmour, Ayari, we need everybody because we can’t reach our target only with the first XI. We need all players focused on our target.” – Roberto De Zerbi, when asked if he would learn anything from regularly playing three games a week ahead of a possible European campaign in 2023/24
Enciso has played the bulk of his embryonic career as an attacking midfielder/second striker (Alexis Mac Allister‘s current position) and indeed was stationed there when he came on at the weekend, with Mac Allister moving into central midfield and Pascal Gross shifting to right-back.
But he has operated wider at times, replacing Kaoru Mitoma down the left flank against Crystal Palace in Gameweek 27 and in other games too.
WHO ENCISO HAS BEEN SUBSTITUTED ON FOR THIS SEASON
- GW29: Veltman
- GW27: Mitoma
- GW26: Mitoma
- GW22: Undav
- GW19: Ferguson
- GW18: March
- GW16: Lallana
- GW14: Lallana
- FA Cup fifth round: Mitoma
- FA Cup third round: Mitoma
One other piece of confirmed team news that De Zerbi did give us in advance was that centre-half Adam Webster will play at the Vitality Stadium.
LIVERPOOL
Jurgen Klopp said that there will “definitely” be changes for Liverpool’s second Gameweek 29 fixture on Tuesday night, which follows on from the punishing 4-1 defeat to Manchester City.
“The boys are still good people and they want to show a reaction, 100 per cent. But the short turnaround is the problem, in this moment I have no clue who I can line up because I get this information after the press conference, because we want to wait with these decisions as long as possible, give the boys as much time to recover.
“There will be changes, definitely, [there] have to be. That’s what we have to use then. Forty-eight hours and then you travel and then you wait in London in a hotel for the kick-off, it’s all here [in the mind] and that’s what we are working on.” – Jurgen Klopp
Klopp at least seemed to imply that there were no new major doubts for the trip to Chelsea.
“No. Let me say, two days after a game pretty much everybody is a doubt but I didn’t hear now anything that somebody is definitely out; maybe a few late calls, that’s it.” – Jurgen Klopp when asked if he could reveal anything about any injury doubts
Liverpool remain without longer-term absentees Calvin Ramsay (knee), Stefan Bajcetic (thigh) and Naby Keita (muscle), while Thiago Alcantara (hip) and Luis Diaz (knee) aren’t ready to feature despite returns to training.
“No, [Diaz] is not available. But he is in training, but he is not ready for this game. As much as we want him to be back, we still have to give him time. Obviously, it was long ago that he had the initial injury but when he came back to training in Dubai, it looked outstanding until he got injured again. So we have to make sure we are patient in that moment. This week, I wouldn’t say Arsenal [in Gameweek 30] is completely out of the picture but it’s rather unlikely. But after that then Luis will be back.
“We had Thiago yesterday in training, in normal team training, which is good as well, but he’s not available for tomorrow of course, so we will see how he reacts. That’s it.” – Jurgen Klopp
LEEDS UNITED
Javi Gracia did his best not to tell us anything about Leeds’ team news but seemed to suggest that Max Wober (hamstring) and Willy Gnonto (ankle) would remain out, citing the quick turnaround time between the Whites’ Gameweek 29 fixtures.
“About injured players, I prefer to not say anything. You know that our situation is not good. All the medical staff, all the injured players, are working really hard to recover as soon as possible.
“But in two or three days [between games], things don’t change a lot. Maybe we’ll have some different options for tomorrow but we’ll have to prepare the game with the players we have and it’s our mentality in this moment: be positive, try to play an important game for us and try to do it in our best XI.” – Javi Gracia
Tyler Adams (hamstring), Adam Forshaw (hip) and Stuart Dallas (leg) remain out.
CHELSEA
Bruno Saltor’s first press conference as interim Chelsea boss was dominated by talk of Graham Potter’s sacking but a present reporter thankfully managed to squeeze in a question on team news just before the end.
“Same [injury] news as last week.
“I don’t have to give any [line-up] clues to Liverpool but as you saw in the [Aston Villa] game, I thought we dominated the game. We lost the game and there were a few mistakes but overall it was a good performance, we had a lot of chances and we are going to try to keep as close as we can.” – Bruno Saltor
Armando Broja (ACL), Thiago Silva (knee) and Cesar Azpilicueta (head) all remain sidelined but Potter said last Friday that there was a “chance” that Raheem Sterling (hamstring) and Wesley Fofana (hamstring) could recover for the visit of Liverpool.
Edouard Mendy (finger) has been sighted in training in the last month but hasn’t featured in a matchday squad since.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Chris Wood (thigh), Willy Boly (hamstring), Dean Henderson (thigh), Ryan Yates (shoulder), Giulian Biancone (ACL) and Omar Richards (leg) remain out, while Serge Aurier (knock), Andre Ayew (knee) and Gustavo Scarpa (unspecified) will be assessed.
Ayew was at least fit enough to make the bench at the weekend.
“Serge is still recovering. We’ll give him every chance of being available but we still haven’t decided.
“We are as we were before Wolves. A couple of lads have obviously returned and it was great to get them back on the pitch.
“Yatesy won’t be available with his shoulder injury, the other guys we haven’t ruled in or out yet. It’s still a mixed bag in terms of availability.” – Steve Cooper
BOURNEMOUTH
Gary O’Neil reported only “bumps and bruises” from Saturday’s win over Fulham, adding that “everyone should be okay” who featured at the weekend.
Ryan Fredericks (calf) and Junior Stanislas (knock) remain out.
