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Premier League Gameweek 9 FPL Team News: Injury Updates and Players to Watch

Get the latest Gameweek 9 FPL team news, including Arsenal training returns, key absences and fitness doubts across the Premier League.

Oct 30, 2026 | 3 min read
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Friday’s team news sets up a busy Gameweek 9

Eleven Premier League managers have their pre-match press conferences on Friday, making this the main checkpoint for Fantasy Premier League managers before Gameweek 9. The news is mixed: several players are close to returning, but a few headline names remain unavailable, and some decisions depend on final training. Mikel Arteta, Enzo Maresca, Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola are among the managers speaking. We’ll update this article with their key comments as they emerge. The nine Thursday press conferences are covered in the
Thursday team news update.

Gameweek 9: the main updates

Friday’s press conference schedule

Arsenal

Arsenal’s Friday training offers some encouragement. Riccardo Calafiori (hip/ribs), Christos Tzolis (hamstring) and Declan Rice (hamstring) all took part, and Arteta said they would train again Saturday. If that session goes well, all three will be available.

“They all trained today. They will train tomorrow and if everything is okay, they will be available.” – Mikel Arteta on Riccardo Calafiori, Christos Tzolis and Declan Rice

Noni Madueke’s ankle injury is still being assessed. His chances hinge on whether he can complete Saturday’s full session.

“We don’t know yet. We have a training session tomorrow. [Let’s] see if he can complete that full session tomorrow and after, we will know whether he’s available or not.” – Mikel Arteta on Noni Madueke’s availability

Bukayo Saka (quad) and William Saliba (back) remain sidelined. Saka may not return until after the international break, though Arteta said a further scan is needed before the club can be more certain. His availability for England is also unresolved.

“Probably [he will be out until after the international break]. He needed another scan to see the amount of fluid that was there resolving. Afterwards, we will know more about it.

“Again, I don’t know [if he’ll miss England duty]. It looks like it but we’ll have to wait and see next week.” – Mikel Arteta on Bukayo Saka

Max Dowman’s appeal against his midweek red card was rejected. He begins a three-match suspension.

Chelsea

Maxence Lacroix will miss Gameweek 9 after suffering a hamstring injury in midweek. Xabi Alonso expects the defender to be out for several weeks, ruling him out until after the international break.

“Max picked up an injury and we expect that he is not going to be ready before the international break. So, he will be a few weeks out.” – Xabi Alonso on Maxence Lacroix

Jorrel Hato has also joined Chelsea’s injury list, alongside Reece James (knee), Aaron Anselmino (unknown), Jamie Gittens (ankle) and Joao Pedro (quad). There’s better news on Moises Caicedo: he’s fine after coming off against Liverpool on Wednesday. Pep Chavarria (muscle) is back in the squad.

“No, no issue. He’s okay for tomorrow.” – Xabi Alonso on Moises Caicedo

“Jorrel, no, but Pep Chavarria is back in the squad, yes.” – Xabi Alonso on his left-back options for Gameweek 9

Emiliano Martinez (jaw) could return before the break, although Alonso said the club will have to see how he progresses next week. A face mask may be needed if he’s ready to play. Cole Palmer is available again after serving a one-match ban in midweek.

“Yes, there is a chance [Martinez could return before the break]. We need to still wait for next week, let’s see how things go, but there’s a chance.

“In case he’s ready to play, he will probably need a face mask.” – Xabi Alonso on Emi Martinez

Liverpool

Dominik Szoboszlai (hamstring) and Victor Munoz (knee) may be involved against Arsenal on Sunday, though Andoni Iraola stopped short of confirming either player’s availability.

“I think they have a chance. They have a chance, but I don’t know for sure if they will be involved or not. We still have two days. So, I think we have a chance, yes.” – Andoni Iraola on Dominik Szoboszlai and Victor Munoz

Florian Wirtz has already returned from the ankle problem he picked up in Gameweek 8, making a quick enough recovery to play in the EFL Cup in midweek. Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Conor Bradley (knee), Jeremie Frimpong (hamstring) and Giovanni Leoni (knee) are still out. The packed schedule also means rotation is likely to continue. Iraola said the staff are managing workloads and freshness from game to game.

“I think you have to do a lot of the job with the analyst in the video room, with the board, without spending the legs. But I think our players are very used to it. So, a lot of the work is done and now it’s a more a matter of getting the decision right in terms of the loading, the freshening of the legs. I think we are changing a lot from game to game and I think we will continue this approach.” – Andoni Iraola on the busy schedule

Manchester City

Enzo Maresca has almost a full squad available. Antoine Semenyo (knee) is the only exception; Matheus Nunes returns after a brief absence, and Iliman Ndiaye is fit after cramp forced him off last weekend.

“[Apart from] Antoine Semenyo, the rest, they are all available.” – Enzo Maresca

Maresca’s comments on Gianluigi Donnarumma were supportive, but not quite a promise of permanent selection. After the goalkeeper’s difficult outing against Aston Villa last Saturday, the manager said there are no undroppable players, even while describing the current team as “Gigio plus 10.”

“I think one thing is to say that, ‘In this moment, it’s Gigio plus 10’, and another thing is to say ‘undroppable’. They are two different things. There is no player that is undroppable but… in this moment, it’s Gigio plus 10.” – Enzo Maresca on Gianluigi Donnarumma

He also said Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki can start together, as they did against Brighton on Wednesday, depending on the opponent and the match.

“They can play together, for sure. Depends a little bit on the game. The opposition also. But no doubt that they are both fantastic players.” – Enzo Maresca on Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki

Tottenham Hotspur

James Maddison (groin) is available to face Crystal Palace on Saturday despite being forced off last weekend. Roberto De Zerbi said Maddison had not trained like the rest of the squad this week, but is fit to play.

“James is available.

“This week, Maddison didn’t work like other players, but for tomorrow he is available. He is a special player for us because he has unique characteristics.” – Roberto De Zerbi

Destiny Udogie (knee) is also available after his recent absence, though De Zerbi described his injury record as a concern because it limits his ability to train consistently.

“[Udogie] is available.

“He is another problematic player in terms of injuries because he can’t work consistently during the weeks. After Manchester United, he didn’t work with us with the group for a long time.” – Roberto De Zerbi

Six players remain out: Lucas Bergvall (knee), Tosin Adarabioyo (calf), Savinho (muscle), Mykhailo Mudryk (ankle), Xavi Simons (knee) and Wilson Odobert (knee). Rodrigo Bentancur is suspended.

“Still out: Tosin, Bergvall, Mudryk.

“Savio is injured.

“Everyone else [bar Bentancur long-term absentees Simons and Odobert] is available.” – Roberto De Zerbi

Everton

David Moyes’s Gameweek 9 press conference was filmed immediately after Everton’s Thursday EFL Cup win over Newcastle United. The sides meet again on Monday, and Moyes said Jarrad Branthwaite (concussion) “should” be fit for the rematch.

Everton’s main uncertainty for Monday is Jack Grealish. The rest of the injury picture looks more encouraging after Thursday’s cup tie, though David Moyes is waiting to assess his players before drawing firm conclusions.

“Jarrad should have recovered from his concussion and also the timescale which we had to abide by.” – David Moyes

Vitalii Mykolenko also returned from a short lay-off, playing 86 minutes on Thursday. Everton seem to have avoided fresh injuries in the first match of their double-header with Newcastle, but Moyes stopped short of confirming that.

“I think so. I know we’re talking about Monday, so you never know exactly till you get them back in [on Friday] and see how everybody is, but hopefully things will be okay.” – David Moyes on if Everton came through their EFL Cup fourth-round tie without any fresh injuries

Grealish was left out of the cup squad “due to a breach of club discipline”. The reported reason was missing a training session. Moyes offered no detail after the match and gave no indication whether the midfielder would be available on Monday.

“You probably know I’m not gonna give any details, and it’s a club decision. So, I support the decision, but it’s a club decision.” – David Moyes on Jack Grealish’s omission

“I wouldn’t give any team news away.” – David Moyes when asked if Jack Grealish would be available in Gameweek 9

ASTON VILLA

Unai Emery’s televised press conference offered little on injuries. Aston Villa already have Matteo Ruggeri (hamstring), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (hamstring) and Amadou Onana (knee) out for the medium to long term, but no other current concerns were known.

After the cameras stopped rolling, Emery was asked about Johan Manzambi and Nicolas Jackson, who missed the midweek match. The Birmingham Mail reported his response:

“For different reasons, not only rest. We are going to train and normally yes [they will be fine to play].” – Unai Emery when asked about the absences of Johan Manzambi and Nicolas Jackson in the EFL Cup

There’s a reason to keep Jackson’s status under review: he wasn’t seen in any training photos from today’s gallery. Training galleries don’t reliably settle team-news questions, though, so that alone doesn’t tell us whether he’ll play.

NEWCASTLE UNITED

Matthias Jaissle, like Moyes, recorded his Gameweek 9 press conference immediately after Thursday’s full-time whistle; the interview was embargoed until today. In the eight-minute session, he had no meaningful update on Mathias Fernandez-Pardo (illness) or Lewis Miley (muscle).

“Sorry, right now, I cannot give you an update on them. Hopefully, they can make progress in the next days to be able maybe to make it in the squad but right now, I cannot update you, really.” – Matthias Jaissle on Mathias Fernandez-Pardo and Lewis Miley

William Osula was substituted at half-time at the Hill Dickinson Stadium after twisting his ankle while taking a shot. Jaissle said it was too soon to know whether he could feature on Monday.

“Will Osula was not able to continue. He twisted his ankle in that occasion when he took the shot.

“It’s too early at the moment [to know if he’ll be fit for Monday].” – Matthias Jaissle on William Osula

Ewen Jaouen (hamstring) and Tino Livramento (unspecified) remain unavailable.

BRENTFORD

Yehor Yarmolyuk serves the final match of his three-game ban on Wednesday. Vitaly Janelt, meanwhile, is available again after sitting out Gameweek 8 through suspension.

Rico Henry (hip) and Kaye Furo (knee) are still out. Keith Andrews said Fabio Carvalho has been missing with a knock and won’t return before the November internationals.

There is progress elsewhere: Antoni Milambo (knee) and Josh Dasilva (hamstring) are back on the grass and nearing returns.

FULHAM

Fulham have no new injury concerns for the trip to Aston Villa after their EFL Cup defeat to Crystal Palace, according to Alvaro Arbeloa.

“No new injuries.” – Alvaro Arbeloa

That doesn’t settle David Affengruber’s status. He finished the win over Coventry City with “some pain” and missed the Palace match, though the centre-back’s absence sounded more like a breather.

Ryan Sessegnon is definitely out as he completes a three-match ban following his Gameweek 7 dismissal. Arbeloa also confirmed Emile Smith Rowe is fit, despite his absence from Fulham’s last three league and cup squads.

IPSWICH TOWN

Saka Lukic (groin) returned to the grass today, but Gary O’Neil will make a late decision on whether the midfielder can play Hull City on Saturday. Ipswich have missed him in recent weeks, and O’Neil said the club had managed the injury carefully.

“He was on the grass today. He looked good, to be fair, so we’ll make a call on Sasa tomorrow. He’s an important player for us, we’ve missed him a lot in the last few weeks. He’s had a little bit of a groin injury that has taken some time. We’ve been careful with him, we’ve tried to manage the situaion well. So, let’s see tomorrow. I’ve got a big call to make on that one.” – Gary O’Neil on Sasa Lukic

Everyone else is fit.

Source: Skonto Rigga · www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk
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