Premier League team news and latest injury updates
The Premier League is heading towards its conclusion, with matters still to be settled at the top and bottom of the table.
Manchester City can win the Premier League title this weekend, with Pep Guardiola’s side facing Chelsea on Sunday. Arsenal travel to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, while Manchester United face a tricky test at Bournemouth as the race heats up for a spot in the Champions League next season.
The Athletic wraps up the latest injury updates from each club going into the weekend’s fixtures. This article will be updated with the latest developments.
Arsenal
Gabriel Martinelli was nominated for the Premier League young player of the season award but he will not feature for Arsenal again this season after he suffered ankle ligament damage during his side’s 3-0 defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion last Sunday.
Oleksandr Zinchenko and William Saliba have also both been ruled out for the season while they recover from injuries.
Head coach Mikel Arteta said: “Gabi is a pretty nasty injury. At least weeks (out.) Alex is a calf issue and won’t be able to play next games.”
Aston Villa
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery confirmed that Philippe Coutinho is the only absentee from his squad to face Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday. The Brazilian will miss the rest of the season through injury and has not made an appearance for the club since the 4-2 defeat to Arsenal on February 18.
Coutinho’s absence will be a blow for Emery (Photo: Getty Images)
Calum Chambers missed training on Thursday due to illness but is in line to travel with the squad.
Emery, who was nominated for the Premier League manager of the year award, said on Thursday: “Just Philippe Coutinho and all of the other players are ready to play. We will wait for the training sessions tomorrow morning and if everyone is OK.
“It’ll be only one doubt… Calum Chambers was sick today but he should be OK to travel.”
Bournemouth
Gary O’Neil will reveal Bournemouth’s team news on Friday for their home match against Manchester United.
Brentford
Brentford will be without Ivan Toney for their match against Tottenham Hotspur after the England international was handed an eight-month ban from football over 232 betting breaches.
Toney will not play for Brentford again this season (Photo: Getty Images)
Keane Lewis-Potter (knee), Pontus Jansson (hamstring) and Christian Norgaard (Achilles) are out for the season. Thomas Strakosha (calf) is a doubt.
Brighton
Brighton and Hove Albion face Southampton on Sunday.
Roberto De Zerbi confirmed that absence of defender Levi Colwill in the loss to Newcastle United was taken as a precaution. The 20-year-old will return against Southampton.
De Zerbi said: “Colwill didn’t play, because he was not available to play, but he can play on Sunday for sure.”
Right-back Joel Veltman is also expected to return.
There is less chance of Adam Lallana returning before the end of the campaign. The 35-year-old former Liverpool midfielder hasn’t played since January following hamstring surgery.
Chelsea
Chelsea face a tricky trip to Manchester City on Sunday.
Crystal Palace
Wilfried Zaha will miss the rest of the season after picking up a hamstring injury during the Crystal Palace’s 2-0 victory over Bournemouth last Saturday.
Luka Millvojevic was injured in training last week and missed the Bournemouth victory, while defender James Tomkins has missed Palace’s last two games with a calf problem.
Jeffrey Schlupp is a doubt going into the game, having picked up a knock against Bournemouth.
Everton
Dominic Calvert-Lewin was substituted at half-time during Everton’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City with a tight groin.
He has since returned to training and could be in line to feature against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.
Vitalii Mykolenko, however, is unlikely to feature.
Manager Sean Dyche said on the Ukraine international: “I doubt he’ll be right for this one. He’s got a chance for the next one, it’s risk and reward scenario and he hasn’t trained so therefore I doubt he’ll make this one.”
Tom Davies unlikely to play due to a hamstring injury.
Fulham
Fulham play Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Winger Dan James has missed Fulham’s last two games with a hamstring injury.
Tim Ream (arm) and Andreas Pereira (ankle) have both been ruled out for the remainder of the season with injuries.
Leeds United
Leeds United defender Junior Firpo will miss his side’s trip to face West Ham United on Sunday after the 26-year-old received a red card during a 2-2 draw with Newcastle United last Saturday.
Leicester City
Leicester City could be boosted by the returns of Kelechi Iheanacho and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for their game against Newcastle on Monday.
Iheanacho, 26, has not featured for the club since he suffered a groin injury during the victory over Leeds on April 25.
Leicester interim manager Dean Smith said at his press conference on Thursday: “Kelechi trained today and will be in full training on Saturday morning.
Dewsbury-Hall, 24, suffered an ankle injury during the 5-3 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage on May 8.
Smith said on the midfielder: “(Dewsbury-Hall) has had an injection into his ankle. It’s a little bit stiff at the moment but we’re hoping to have him training Saturday morning.
“If they get through training on Saturday (they will be available). Ki (Dewsbury-Hall) is the biggest worry. Kel has come in and done bits today. Ki hasn’t trained yet”
Leicester centre-back Caglar Soyuncu is not expected to return in time for the trip to St James’ Park.
Smith said on Soyuncu: “He’s back jogging but very slowly. Still the plan is to get him ready for the last game of the season.”
Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp will reveal his team news for Liverpool’s match against Aston Villa at 1.30pm on Friday.
Manchester City
Manchester City can win the Premier League title with a win against Chelsea on Sunday.
Manchester United
Erik ten Hag will reveal his team news for Manchester United’s trip to Bournemouth at 11.30am on Friday.
Newcastle United
Newcastle play Leicester on Monday night.
Eddie Howe has revealed that midfielder Sean Longstaff is “improving” but remains a doubt going into the game.
Jacob Murphy was left out of the matchday squad against Brighton on Thursday due to a groin complaint and will be assessed before Monday’s match.
Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest play Arsenal in Saturday’s evening kick-off at the City Ground.
Southampton
Relegated Southampton play Brighton at the Amex Stadium on Sunday.
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham play Brentford in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off.
West Ham United
West Ham play relegation-threatened Leeds United on Sunday.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers play Everton on Saturday.
Gameweek 37 fixtures (all kick-off times are BST)
Saturday, May 20
Tottenham vs Brentford (12.30pm)
Bournemouth vs Manchester United (3pm)
Fulham vs Crystal Palace (3pm)
Liverpool vs Aston Villa (3pm)
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Everton (3pm)
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal (5.30pm)
Sunday, May 21
West Ham United vs Leeds (1.30pm)
Brighton vs Southampton (2pm)
Manchester City vs Chelsea (4pm)
Monday, May 22
Newcastle United vs Leicester City (8pm)
The Totally Football Show – weekend preview
Jimbo is joined by Carl Anka, Rory Smith and Duncan Alexander as the Champions League and Championship play-off finals become set in stone.
Man City demolish holders Real Madrid 4-0 to set up a meeting with Inter in Istanbul. One of the most dominant performances at this stage of the competition imaginable and a symbol of the super powerful structure that City have become. Where next for Los Blancos?
Where next for Coventry City? Wembley for an unlikely play-off final with Luton for a place in the Premier League, where nostalgia will be the winner.
The weekend’s Premier League action won’t feature Ivan Toney, after he’s banned for 8 months for 232 breaches of the FA’s gambling rules.
But it will feature potentially the title, top 4 and relegation all being decided. And maybe Harry Kane’s last home game for Spurs?
Rory takes on Sasha Goryunov in the second quarter-final of the Inter Totally Cup.
Plus Forest’s small pitch and the Man United sale.
Listen to the full podcast here.
(Photo: Getty Images)
