In Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Gameweek 18, there’s a unique challenge due to the early Thursday deadline, causing potential headaches for managers in terms of injuries and team news.
The majority of pre-match press conferences are scheduled for Friday, leaving only four Premier League managers, specifically from Crystal Palace, Brighton and Hove Albion, Aston Villa, and Sheffield United, to speak before the deadline. Some additional managers, like Burnley’s Vincent Kompany and Nottingham Forest’s outgoing Steve Cooper, might also hold press conferences on Thursday.
The exact schedule for other managers will be confirmed in the next 24 hours. Here’s a team news and injury update of what we know about all 18 clubs participating in Gameweek 18.
Crystal Palace vs Brighton
Crystal Palace is experiencing an improvement in their injury situation ahead of the clash with Brighton and Hove Albion. Tyrick Mitchell (hip), Dean Henderson (thigh), and Eberechi Eze (ankle) have all returned to the matchday squad in the previous weekend. There are indications from local media reports that Jefferson Lerma (hamstring) might swiftly return for the M23 derby.
Jordan Ayew, who was serving a one-match suspension, is set to make his comeback. However, the status of Sam Johnstone (calf) and Odsonne Edouard (knee) is uncertain, as they had to leave the pitch during the Gameweek 16 defeat to Liverpool and missed the subsequent 2-2 draw with Manchester City.
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On the sidelines, Cheick Doucoure (Achilles), Rob Holding (ankle), Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (hamstring), and Nathan Ferguson (hamstring) remain unavailable. There is ambiguity about Joel Ward’s (hamstring) availability as he may have joined the injury list alongside his teammates.
Joel Veltman is facing a challenging race against time to regain fitness for Brighton’s away trip to Selhurst Park, as he had to leave the field during the defeat to Arsenal on Sunday. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that Brighton will see the return of any previously injured players.
Brighton’s manager, Roberto De Zerbi, mentioned before Gameweek 17 that it would take “many weeks more” for Adam Webster (unspecified), Pervis Estupinan (muscle), and Tariq Lamptey (muscle) to be back in contention. Solly March (knee) and Ansu Fati (muscle) are dealing with longer-term injuries. Additionally, The Athletic reported on Tuesday that Julio Enciso (knee) is set to be sidelined until February following a second operation.
Crystal Palace: Henderson (Dean), Clyne, Andersen, Marc Guehi, Mitchell, Lerma, Richards (Chris), Olise, Ayew (Jordan), Schlupp, Mateta
Brighton: Steele, Gros, Van Hecke, Dunk, Hinshelwood, Baleba, Gilmour, Adingra, João Pedro, Mitoma, Ferguson (Evan)
Aston Villa vs Sheffield United
Ahead of the Thursday deadline, we will receive updates from Unai Emery regarding Aston Villa’s Pau Torres, who limped out of the victory over Brentford. Emery is hopeful that the center-back’s injury is not severe.
Regarding Youri Tielemans, Emery was uncertain about the midfielder’s availability for the Sheffield United match, as he sat out Gameweek 17 due to an unspecified issue.
In the injury list at Brentford, Tyrone Mings (knee), Emi Buendia (knee), Robin Olsen (unspecified), and Bertrand Traore (unspecified) were present, with the first two being season-long absentees. Douglas Luiz and Lucas Digne are set to return from suspension, but Boubacar Kamara will be unavailable for the next three league matches due to a straight red card.
For Sheffield United, Chris Basham (leg), Tom Davies (thigh), John Egan (leg), and Daniel Jebbison (illness) are the only players on the injury list. The fitness of Rhian Brewster (knee) and Rhys Norrington-Davies (hamstring) remains uncertain as they continue their rehabilitation. Jack Robinson is back from a one-match ban, while Ollie Norwood, Ben Osborn, and George Baldock were on the bench at Stamford Bridge after serving suspensions and recovering from injuries.
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa N’Goyo, Diego Carlos, Álex Moreno, Bailey, Douglas Luiz, McGinn, Jacob Ramsey, Diaby, Watkins
Sheffield United: Foderingham, Bogle, Ahmedhodzic, Robinson, Trusty, Hamer, Vinicius Souza, Brooks, McAtee, McBurnie, Archer
West Ham United vs Manchester United
During the pre-EFL Cup press conference on Tuesday, West Ham’s assistant boss, Billy McKinlay, provided a typical response reminiscent of manager David Moyes when asked for team news. In Gameweek 17, Michail Antonio was the sole West Ham player sidelined due to a hamstring injury.
Team news from Manchester United tends to be somewhat ambiguous as well. Diogo Dalot is confirmed to miss Gameweek 18 due to his dismissal at Anfield on Sunday, but Bruno Fernandes will make a return from his one-match ban at the London Stadium. There’s a possibility of Anthony Martial returning after being sidelined with illness.
Harry Maguire (groin), Jadon Sancho (disciplinary), Casemiro (ankle), Tyrell Malacia (knee), Lisandro Martinez (foot), Mason Mount (calf), Christian Eriksen (knee), and Victor Lindelof (unspecified) were all unavailable on Sunday, with all except Maguire and Lindelof having been absent for a month or more. Erik ten Hag had mentioned last Friday that Maguire would “not be available for the coming games.” However, Eriksen returned to team training on Monday and could be in contention for this weekend’s match.
West Ham United: Fabianski, Coufal, Zouma, Aguërd, Emerson, Álvarez, Ward-Prowse, Kudus, Soucek, Lucas Paquetá, Bowen
Manchester United: Onana, Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Evans, Shaw, Amrabat, Mainoo, Antony, Bruno Fernandes, Garnacho, Højlund
Fulham vs Burnley
In Monday’s pre-EFL Cup press conference, Fulham manager Marco Silva confirmed that Tim Ream (calf) and Adama Traore (hamstring) are still sidelined. Raul Jimenez is currently serving a three-match suspension after his red card against Newcastle United and will be back in action in Gameweek 20. Calvin Bassey returned from illness for the midweek cup match against Everton, and Willian’s substitution in that game was pre-planned and not due to a head injury, according to Silva.
For Burnley, Aaron Ramsey (knee) was considered “touch and go” for last weekend’s defeat to Everton, ultimately missing the game. Vincent Kompany’s update will provide information on the progress of Ramsey’s recovery. Johann Berg Gudmundsson, who missed the Everton match, is dealing with an injury that the manager hopes is not too serious. Jack Cork (calf) could potentially make a return based on Kompany’s update last Thursday, and Charlie Taylor is back from suspension. Luca Koleosho is set to miss a significant portion of the season due to a knee injury.
On a positive note, Lyle Foster made a welcome return to action on Saturday, having been absent since Gameweek 9 while seeking treatment for mental health. Kompany emphasized the importance of following medical experts’ guidance for Foster’s recovery, highlighting that his 45-minute cameo at Turf Moor was just a part of the ongoing recovery process.
Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Tosin, Bassey, Robinson, João Palhinha, Cairney, Wilson (Harry), Pereira, Iwobi, Rodrigo Muniz
Burnley: Trafford, Vitinho, O’Shea, Beyer, Taylor, Berge, Brownhill, Bruun Larsen, Amdouni, Odobert, Rodriguez
Luton Town vs Newcastle
The status of Saturday’s abandoned match against Bournemouth is still pending a decision from the Premier League. If the result is declared null and void, as is customary, Marvelous Nakamba will remain suspended due to yellow card accumulation. Tom Lockyer, whose cardiac arrest led to the match being called off, is still in the hospital undergoing further tests.
On the health front, Luton Town almost has a clean bill of health. Cauley Woodrow (calf) returned to training last week and could be in contention, while Daniel Potts (hamstring) and Reece Burke (hamstring) are not believed to be too far away.
Newcastle United faced additional setbacks in their cup defeat to Chelsea, with Anthony Gordon leaving the game due to a nasty tackle from Moises Caicedo. Emil Krafth also departed at halftime with a knock, but Sven Botman’s withdrawal at halftime was pre-planned.
Eddie Howe mentioned in his post-match press conference that Anthony Gordon is currently “very sore” after the match. Fabian Schar (glute) and Joelinton (hamstring) both suffered injuries during the weekend match against Fulham, and Alexander Isak (groin) missed the game. None of the three were involved in the match against Chelsea on Tuesday.
Several players continue to be unavailable for Newcastle United. Sandro Tonali is serving a suspension, Javier Manquillo is dealing with a groin issue, Harvey Barnes has a toe injury, Joe Willock is recovering from an Achilles problem, Jacob Murphy has a shoulder concern, Elliot Anderson is sidelined with a back issue, and Matt Targett is nursing a hamstring injury.
Luton Town: Kaminski, Mengi, Andersen, Bell, Issa Kabore, Barkley, Sambi Lokonga, Doughty, Townsend, Adebayo, Brown
Newcastle: Dubravka, Trippier, Lascelles, Burn, Livramento, Miley, Bruno Guimarães, Longstaff (Sean), Almirón, Wilson (Callum), Gordon
Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth
The availability of Nottingham Forest’s Serge Aurier (calf) for the upcoming match is uncertain, as Steve Cooper’s last pre-match media briefing described it as “inconclusive,” leading to the full-back missing the match against Tottenham Hotspur.
Additionally, Felipe (muscle) and Ibrahima Sangare (groin) were absent from the squad with previously undisclosed injuries. Taiwo Awoniyi (groin), sidelined since November, remains expected to be out for an extended period despite being seen jogging this week.
For Bournemouth, whose last match against Luton Town was abandoned, there was a surprising inclusion of Alex Scott (knee) on the bench in Gameweek 17 after a quicker-than-expected recovery. Hamed Traore (illness) and Max Aarons (hamstring) might be in the matchday squad at the City Ground, with Aarons partially participating in training last week. Lloyd Kelly (hamstring), Tyler Adams (hamstring), and Ryan Fredericks (calf) are anticipated to remain unavailable.
Emi Marcondes has been regaining fitness through appearances for the development squad after recovering from foot surgery. The new Nottingham Forest boss, believed to be Nuno Espirito Santo, may or may not hold a pre-match press conference before Thursday’s deadline.
Nottingham Forest: Turner, Boly, Murillo, Niakhate, Williams (Neco), Yates, Mangala, Toffolo, Gibbs-White, Wood, Elanga
Bournemouth: Neto (Murara), Smith (Adam), Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez, Christie, Cook (Lewis), Semenyo, Kluivert, Tavernier, Solanke
Tottenham Hotspur vs Everton
Brennan Johnson is expected to be fit despite suffering a cut to the head in last Friday’s win over Nottingham Forest. The availability of Giovani Lo Celso (muscle) is uncertain, and it remains to be seen if he has recovered from what Ange Postecoglou described as a mere “niggle.”
Several players are set to remain unavailable for Tottenham Hotspur until 2024, including James Maddison (ankle), Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Manor Solomon (knee), Ivan Perisic (knee), Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), Alfie Whiteman (ankle), Ashley Phillips (ankle), and Rodrigo Bentancur (ankle).
Additionally, Spurs’ squad is further depleted due to suspensions, with Destiny Udogie picking up his fifth booking of the season and Yves Bissouma serving a four-match ban after being dismissed for the second time in 2023/24.
For Everton, Jarrad Branthwaite and Idrissa Gana Gueye return from bans, but there are injury concerns. Seamus Coleman and Ashley Young, veteran right-backs, missed Gameweek 17 and the midweek cup clash with Fulham due to “niggly” injuries.
Vitalii Mykolenko (niggle) and Abdoulaye Doucoure (hamstring) were considered “touch and go” for the midweek meeting with Fulham but ultimately missed out. Doucoure is a major doubt for Gameweek 18, and concerns linger over the fitness of Coleman, Young, and Mykolenko.
Dele Alli (hip) remains sidelined, but Andre Gomes (calf) featured for the under-21s on Tuesday to build up match fitness.
Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Davies (Ben), Emerson Royal, Kulusevski, Højbjerg, Sarr, Johnson (Brennan), Richarlison, Son
Everton: Pickford, Patterson, Tarkowski, Keane, Branthwaite, Harrison, Gueye, Mvom Onana, McNeil, Garner, Calvert-Lewin
Liverpool vs Arsenal
In Tuesday’s pre-EFL Cup press conference, Liverpool’s assistant boss, Pep Lijnders, provided updates on several players. Ben Doak is ruled out for an extended period due to a knee injury. Alexis Mac Allister (knee) and Diogo Jota (muscle) were discussed without a clear indication of their availability for Gameweek 18, leaving some uncertainty. However, Ryan Gravenberch (hamstring) appears to be fine.
Liverpool continues to be without Andrew Robertson (shoulder), Stefan Bajcetic (calf), Thiago Alcantara (hip), and Joel Matip (knee).
As for Arsenal, there are no serious fresh concerns reported. In their recent win over Brighton and Hove Albion, they were without Takehiro Tomiyasu (calf), Fabio Vieira (groin), Thomas Partey (muscle), Jurrien Timber (knee), Mohamed Elneny (hamstring), and Jorginho (foot). The severity of Jorginho’s previously undisclosed issue is yet to be revealed, but Tomiyasu, Vieira, Partey, and Timber are expected to be sidelined until 2024.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Szoboszlai, Endo, Gravenberch, Salah, Núñez, Díaz
Arsenal: Raya Martin, White (Ben), Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Rice, Havertz, Saka, Jesus, Martinelli
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Chelsea
Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O’Neil had initially targeted Pedro Neto for a return in Gameweek 18 due to a hamstring injury, but last Thursday, he mentioned that it wasn’t a 100% certainty. Jose Sa, who missed the match against West Ham United, is not believed to be severely injured, according to the Wolves boss. However, Joe Hodge (shoulder) and Jonny Otto (disciplinary) remain unavailable.
For Chelsea, Enzo Fernandez left the cup tie against Newcastle United on Tuesday due to a stomach bug, and Levi Colwill’s halftime withdrawal was not injury-related. Several players were absent from midweek cup action, including Romeo Lavia (ankle), Reece James (hamstring), Marc Cucurella (knee), Robert Sanchez (knee), Lesley Ugochukwu (muscle), Ben Chilwell (hamstring), Wesley Fofana (knee), Trevoh Chalobah (hamstring), and Carney Chukwuemeka (knee).
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Most of them are expected to remain sidelined for an extended period. Lavia and Ugochuwko are closer to a return, with Lavia partially participating in team training after a lengthy lay-off, and Ugochukwu progressing with the reconditioning phase of his rehabilitation. Sanchez could be out for 2-6 weeks, according to Pochettino, while Cucurella is expected to be unavailable until February, as per reports.
Wolves: José Sá, Dawson, Kilman, Toti, Semedo, Lemina, João Gomes, Ait Nouri, Sarabia, Matheus Cunha, Hwang Hee-Chan
Chelsea: Petrovic, Gusto, Thiago Silva, Badiashile, Colwill, Moises Caicedo, Fernández, Palmer, Gallagher, Sterling, Jackson