There are lots of pre-match press conferences to cover on Friday as we bring you the latest Gameweek 34 team news.
As well as the 13 listed below, we will hear from Jurgen Klopp and Unai Emery. They were late additions to the schedule.
Chris Wilder and Vincent Kompany faced the media on Thursday, with the updates on their squads also provided in this article.
We won’t hear from Eddie Howe or Roberto De Zerbi until next week, so we’ve summarised what we know about Newcastle Unite and Brighton and Hove Albion as things stand.
This is a ‘live’ blog, so we will add the key quotes as and when they arrive. Hit refresh for the latest updates.
FPL GAMEWEEK 34 TEAM NEWS: KEY INJURY UPDATES
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE OTHERS
FPL GAMEWEEK 34 TEAM NEWS: FRIDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE TIMES
LIVERPOOL
Jurgen Klopp confirmed earlier this week that Conor Bradley will be out for the rest of April.
The youngster injured his ankle in Sunday’s defeat to Crystal Palace.
Ben Doak (knee), Thiago Alcantara (muscle) and Joel Matip (knee) also remain sidelined.
Other than those four, there were no notable absentees for, or obvious injuries sustained, in the win over Atalanta.
Klopp’s press conference for the Fulham game was a brief affair but there were some quotes about the fit-again Diogo Jota and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
“Very much [helps having those two back] but the thing is… we need Trent Alexander-Arnold, of course, but we need him in a really good shape, in form and that’s now what he has to get up to. It’s not about him, it’s not his fault if he wouldn’t be, it’s just the situation, so how quick can we get him rolling? Same for Diogo, it was the same for Robbo [Andy Robertson], it’s the same for Mo [Salah]. They all had injuries which they never had before, if you want – the length. Dom Szoboszlai, same. Curtis Jones, the same.
“It’s good to have them but it’s not about who wears the shirt, it’s about how can we perform? We have to find a way to help the boys in the best way, to bring them as quick as possible into their best form or shape and then from there we have to go. But, of course, each player that plays with that quality anyway, without them we wouldn’t have a chance. With them, we have a chance. With them in a really good football moment, the chance is getting bigger and bigger.
“Yeah, there’s no perfect way [to get rhythm]. The boys more or less have to get through this by themselves. Now we have the injury with Conor Bradley, so it means one right-back solution is gone. It’s good that Trent is back, so now he will probably find a way into it on the field by doing it. He has to, that’s how it is.
“We can talk about that for the next five days and I’m long, long in the business and I don’t know anybody who can speed these things up. It depends on the moment. The better the team plays, the easier it is for the boys to step in and to get up to speed. If we are not in a great moment, it’s really tricky for them as well. They should not be the ones who turn it around. The boys who played, have much more rhythm, they have to set the level and the other boys fit in and then push us to the next level.” – Jurgen Klopp
Alexander-Arnold himself has said that he “ran out of juice” in the clash with Atalanta.
WEST HAM UNITED
Jarrod Bowen (back) returned to training on Wednesday and started the clash with Bayer Leverkusen the following day.
Having taken a painkilling injection before the game, he’ll now be assessed to see if he can face Crystal Palace this weekend.
“I’ve not had a chance to see Jarrod yet since last night.
“Jarrod’s always quite robust but I know that he was really touch and go… he was really, really close to not playing.
“He took an injection as well to play last night so from that point of view we’ll need to see how he is and how he reacts this morning.” – David Moyes
Kalvin Phillips (hamstring) and Alphonse Areola (groin), who were also back in training this week, didn’t take part in Thursday’s game.
Konstantinos Mavropanos, who went off injured against Fulham on Sunday, was also not involved.
Nayef Aguerd hobbled out of the draw with Leverkusen, meanwhile, and will need to be assessed.
“[Nayef] rocked his ankle, he went over on his ankle.
“I’ve not had the chance to assess him yet. Him and Dinos are both getting checked, we’ll see how they are for the weekend.
“Hopefully we will [have Alphonse and Kalvin available] but again when I get to see the players, and get them working with the medical staff, we’ll find out exactly how they are.” – David Moyes
George Earthy (concussion) is out.
MANCHESTER UNITED
Antony, Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay are all expected to recover from minor issues to make Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Coventry City.
United’s Gameweek 34 fixture against Sheffield United follows three days later.
“Yeah, Antony and Scott I expect them to be back. Scott didn’t train all week, partial on Wednesday, today I expect him full. Antony did train the whole week.”
“Harry all game against Bournemouth, he struggled. He had a small injury. He didn’t train this week so far but now he’s back on the pitch. So, we expect him today back in team training. He will available I think, I hope, for Sunday.” – Erik ten Hag
Raphael Varane (muscle), Luke Shaw (muscle), Jonny Evans (muscle), Tyrell Malacia (knee), Victor Lindelof (hamstring), Lisandro Martinez (calf) and Anthony Martial (groin) look set to again miss out this weekend.
Erik ten Hag also confirmed that Alejandro Garnacho has apologised for liking tweets criticising his substitution in the match against Bournemouth last Saturday.
“Alejandro is a young player, has to learn a lot. He apologised for it and after that, we move on.” – Erik ten Hag
SHEFFIELD UNITED
Jack Robinson (ankle) and Jayden Bogle (ankle) are “struggling” to be fit for the visit of Burnley, while George Baldock (calf), Max Lowe (ankle), Rhys Norrington-Davies (hamstring), Chris Basham (leg) and John Egan (leg) remain sidelined.
“They’re struggling for the weekend so that’s a blow for us. We gain one and we lose one, so that’s been a difficult situation to deal with.
“It’s two influential players in the group, Jack from a leadership point of view and Jayden has been, definitely since I came back into the football club, one of our most outstanding players with the way he’s gone about his business in the Premier League. So it’s disappointing.” – Chris Wilder on Jayden Bogle and Jack Robinson
Tom Davies (hamstring), Rhian Brewster (hamstring) and Daniel Jebbison (illness) are only just back on the grass, too, so are seemingly unlikely to feature.
Chris Wilder indeed said on Thursday that a decision would have to be taken about whether to hold Brewster and Jebbison back for next season, rather than risk them in what seems like an increasingly futile attempt to beat the drop.
BURNLEY
Dara O’Shea will return from suspension this week.
His replacement in Gameweek 33, Hjalmar Ekdal, was also said to be “fine” after hobbling out of the draw with Brighton.
Elsewhere, Aaron Ramsey (knee), Nathan Redmond (leg), Ameen Al-Dakhil (unknown) and Jordan Beyer (muscle) are likely out for the season but Vincent Kompany said on Thursday that Luca Koleosho (knee) was “doing well” and could “potentially” feature before the end of 2023/24.
“Jordan and Ameen, with five games left, I think it’s fair to assume it’s unlikely we willl see them again this season – other than if there’s a miracle.
“Their recoveries will be more geared to us having them 100 per cent fit for next season.” – Vincent Kompany
NEWCASTLE UNITED
We won’t hear from Eddie Howe until well after the Gameweek 34 deadline, so there is the distinct possibility that some team news emerges later that we are unaware of.
We do know that Jamaal Lascelles (knee) and Sven Botman (knee) are out for the season, while there’s some doubt about whether Joelinton (quad), Matt Targett (Achilles) and Lewis Miley (back) will feature again in the current campaign.
Reports suggest that Joe Willock will not be risked again in 2023/24 after the recurrence of his old Achilles injury, while Sandro Tonali is banned until August.
There’s a decent chance that the Crystal Palace game may also come too soon for Miguel Almiron (knee) and Nick Pope (shoulder), who were on track to return in late April or early May – if the timelines provided by their manager are still accurate.
We could see Kieran Trippier (calf) soon, however. Howe said last Friday that the veteran right-back was “doing well” and was “one of the players in the background that’s starting to feel really good”.
Callum Wilson (chest) was seen in training on Wednesday, meanwhile, so a Gameweek 34 comeback could be on the cards for him, too.
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
Roberto De Zerbi is another name we won’t hear from ahead of the Gameweek 34 deadline, due to Brighton not being in action until next week.
Last Friday, the Brighton boss said that Billy Gilmour (knee), Adam Webster (muscle) and James Milner (muscle) could be available for selection in the coming weeks – so it remains to be seen if any of that trio recovers for the visit of Manchester City.
There’s no timeline on Evan Ferguson (ankle), Tariq Lamptey (unknown) and Julio Enciso (unknown), while Jack Hinshelwood (foot), Solly March (knee) and Kauro Mitoma (back) are out for the season.
De Zerbi also confirmed after Saturday’s draw at Burnley that Pervis Estupinan has suffered an ankle injury.
None of the players we’ve mentioned so far were seen in Thursday’s training gallery on the Brighton site, although there is another week before the reigning champions come to town.
