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The latest FPL injury news ahead of Gameweek 30, with updates on Saka, Wood, Palmer, Alexander-Arnold, Haaland and more.
After a seemingly endless break, the Fantasy Premier League is back with Gameweek 30 – but there are a number of injury worries surrounding key players which will make players’ transfer decisions even harder than usual.
Bukayo Saka, Chris Wood, Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Erling Haaland are among the top-performing FPL players who are either injured or making their way back from fitness problems, and we’ve to help you out we’ve got all the latest news on their conditions and those of several other Fantasy-relevant players below.
If you need some help with your transfers this week, our resident FPL expert has helpfully put together his perfect wildcard templates in his latest advice column, which you can read by clicking right here.
Bukayo Saka
Let’s start with the good news – Saka is back in action and ready to go against Fulham on Tuesday night after a three-month layoff due to a hamstring injury. Mikel Arteta has told the press that Saka is “ready to go” after completing his rehabilitation, and that he even came through a behind-closed-doors friendly unscathed and without any ill effects.
Given Saka’s importance to Arsenal’s attack and their lack of options up front, we expect Saka to start on Tuesday evening, even if he may not play out the full 90 minutes. Arteta does have a track record of being rather misleading when it comes to injuries, but he seldom lies directly about his players’ condition – so for once, we believe him that Saka will play.
Chris Wood & Morgan Gibbs-White
The Nottingham Forest striker has been a key asset throughout the course of the campaign but missed the FA Cup quarter-final win over Brighton after picking up a hip injury while on international duty with New Zealand.
Nuno Espirito Santo told the press on Monday that Wood was “improving” and “getting better day-by-day” but that he would still be assessed ahead of Forest’s game against Manchester United. It sounds like he’s unlikely to play a full 90, and there remains a good chance that the forward misses out altogether. We wouldn’t rush to sell him unless you plan to anyway, as he should be back by next weekend. Morgan Gibbs-White is also a doubt after colliding heavily with a goalpost against Brighton.
Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson & Noni Madueke
Palmer missed the 1-0 defeat to Arsenal and withdrew from the England squad due to a hamstring injury, but he was seen back on grass at Cobham last Friday and looks to be in line to feature against Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday evening.
Of course, his poor recent form – Palmer hasn’t registered a goal contribution in any of his last 10 games, which is remarkable considering his prior track record – means that he’s a candidate to be transferred out anyway, but if you still retain faith in the Chelsea man and think a break may have reinvigorated him, he should be good to go. Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke are also back in training and seem set to play at least some role against Spurs
Erling Haaland
Throw those Haaland wildcard templates out of the window. After he injured his left ankle playing against Bournemouth in the FA Cup, it has been confirmed that the Norwegian will miss an extended period of time.
An exact timeline hasn’t been provided, but the fact that Haaland is off to see a specialist and the club only seemed confident that he would be back in time for this summer’s Club World Cup heavily implies that we won’t see much of him over the next two months. Time for Omar Marmoush, perhaps?
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson & Conor Bradley
Arne Slot confirmed in his press conference that Alexander-Arnold’s ankle injury would keep him out of this week’s matches and while he hasn’t given us an expected return date, it sounds like he’ll miss at least a few games.
FPL players looking for a cheap way into the Liverpool defence may be heartened, however, to hear that Conor Bradley is back in training. Slot suggested that a decision was yet to be made on whether the Northern Irishman would start against Everton this week, but given how effectively he’s filled in in the past, he could be an interesting differential option. Alisson, meanwhile, will get a final check-up before the Merseyside Derby after a clash of heads while playing for Brazil, but it sounds like he’s expected to be given the all-clear.
Anthony Gordon
Gordon is suspended this week anyway after picking up a red card against Brighton before the international break, but players holding on to the winger will at least be encouraged by Eddie Howe’s comments on Gordon’s fitness after he was injured late on in England’s win over Albania.
He has a “really nasty bruise on his thigh”, apparently, but should be back in training in the next few days and could feature against Leicester City next Monday. No need to panic sell if you haven’t already, in other words.
Dejan Kulusevski
Although not a hugely popular FPL asset right now, Kulusevski is one of those players who comes around every once in a while, but it may not be the best time to take a punt on the Swede – he’s been out of action for a month with a foot injury and while he was expected back shortly after the international break, we don’t yet have any updates confirming his involvement in training. Ange Postecoglou’s press conference could clear things up later this week.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis
A cheap defensive option in quite a lot of teams – albeit mostly on the bench – Harwood-Bellis picked up a thigh injury while on England Under-21 duty and is a significant doubt for Southampton’s game against Crystal Palace on Wednesday. We’re still waiting on word from Ivan Jurić as to whether he may be involved or not after some scans.
Related topics:Fantasy Premier LeagueBukayo SakaCole PalmerErling HaalandDejan KulusevskiAnthony GordonNoni MaduekeTrent Alexander-Arnold
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