As is often the case when there’s a Friday deadline, the Premier League press conferences for Gameweek 10 are underway early.
Frank Lampard, whose Coventry City side contests the upcoming round’s curtain-raiser against Everton, faces the media on Wednesday.
We’ll bring you the key quotes and injury updates from the Sky Blues’ boss in the article below.
We’ll also round up some bonus European pressers from the managers of Bournemouth, Brighton and Hove Albion, Crystal Palace and Sunderland.
GAMEWEEK 10 TEAM NEWS
COVENTRY CITY
Frank Lampard was playing it cool with his team news on Wednesday, so there’s no real update on Bobby Thomas (calf) or Frank Onyeka (groin).
“We’ll see for the game.” – Frank Lampard on Bobby Thomas and Frank Onyeka
Luke Woolfenden (knee), Aurele Amenda (calf), Josh Eccles (ankle) and Haji Wright (quad) have been longer-term absentees, although Wright was on the grass last week and two more have joined him.
“Yeah, they’re back on the grass. We’re very tentative at the minute. They’re not with us, so I don’t really have a timeline on them, but they’re working very hard to be fair. We hope to have them, I would say, in the next weeks with us training properly.” – Frank Lampard Luke Woolfenden and Josh Eccles
While Thomas’s availability remains unknown, there was praise for Coventry’s current two starting centre-halves.
“He’s impressed everybody from the moment he’s come in on the training pitch, how he has integrated into the squad on and off the pitch, and then how he’s played. So, he’s shown his talent. He’s got this real good lack of fear; good young players have it. They back their talent, they understand. He’s good on the training pitch. He understands where he wants to improve.
“Speaks great; I loved the way he spoke after the game last week. It’s really endearing because he just wants to get better and do well. So, in that sense, he’s been a big plus for us.” – Frank Lampard on Stephen Mfuni
“He’s been outstanding.
“When you talk about helping the players that haven’t [got Premier League experience] or Steph [Mfuni], who’s 18, Ethan’s delivered that experience in a really calm manner. There’s no problem every day in training. He can speak to anyone in the squad. He’s got this really nice demeanour about him on and off the pitch, but more than that, his performances, how he played, he’s been outstanding and I think Coventry fans have seen that.
“Hence he got the armband last week.” – Frank Lampard on Ethan Pinnock
EUROPA LEAGUE/CONFERENCE LEAGUE TEAM NEWS
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
Fabian Hurzeler has confirmed that Pascal Struijk (hamstring), Ferdi Kadioglu (hip) and Femi Azeez (hamstring) haven’t recovered in time to face Getafe on Thursday.
Longer-term absentees Kaoru Mitoma (hamstring), Evan Ferguson (ankle) and Stefan Tzimas (knee) are still out, too.
Zadok Yohanna (unspecified) has trained this week.
We’re waiting to see Hurzeler’s presser in full but the Argus report that the Brighton boss “has not stood down any fit and available players on this occasion”, having done so with Diego Gomez and Maxim De Cuyper a fortnight ago.
Quotes to follow
BOURNEMOUTH
Alex Toth (hamstring) has undergone surgery this week, and Marco Rose today ruled him out until 2027.
“Alex had his surgery. Everything went well. Now, we’re not going to see him before the next year. We’re going to miss him [for] several months.” – Marco Rose
Juanlu Sanchez (ankle) has now joined the injury list, too.
“Juanlu, he twisted in the game with the under-21s. He has an ankle injury, with the ligaments. We’re still assessing and then we’re going to see what we do, how we do it and how long it needs.” – Marco Rose
Julian Araujo (thigh) remains unavailable but we didn’t get an update on Alex Scott (tendon). Rose said last week that Gameweek 10 was the earliest he could return.
Veljko Milosavljevic (knee) has been getting game-time with the under-21s after a long spell out.
“No bad news. Just good news. Everyone is in a good spot.” – Marco Rose on the rest of his team news
Eli Junior Kroupi is ineligible for Thursday’s clash with Sparta Prague but will be re-added to the Europa League squad after this one.
“We communicated it very clear when we decided to do it like we do it now. We said, ‘Okay, Junior is injured more than 60 days’. Then you have a rule in the European competition that you can change players We said if Junior is back, we are going to have some Premier League games, we have cup games.
“So, we made the decision to change him after the fourth game in the European competition. So the next game, he’s going to be in the squad again.
“Then after the group stage, we can make new decisions because now Alex Toth is missing. Julio [Soler], we can bring on the B list in January. So, we have two spots more now to bring players back but Junior is, for the next European game, in the squad.” – Marco Rose
SUNDERLAND
Habib Diarra has joined the injury list after picking up a muscle injury that will rule him out until mid-December.
“Probably around six weeks from the first diagnosis” – Regis Le Bris on Habib Diarra
Dan Ballard (hamstring) and Romaine Mundle (knee) remain sidelined, too.
“This morning he was on the bike, which is good. It shows that he’s really close to running on the pitch. It’s going to be next week [for that], but the target is around mid-December to join the training sessions, if everything is okay.” – Regis Le Bris on Dan Ballard
“We don’t have many injuries but they are serious: Romaine, Ballard and Habib now. For the others, they want to play, and it’s a really positive vibe.” – Regis Le Bris
A name Regis Le Bris didn’t mention was Nordi Mukiele, who has been observing the concussion protocol since Gameweek 9. Still not in team training, he will miss Thursday’s clash with Dinamo Zagreb – but the hope is that he’s fit for Gameweek 10.
Young striker Juan Angulo has been absent since picking up a knock in a Sunderland under-21s game last Monday.
Omar Alderete is suspended domestically but can play in Europe this week.
Away from injuries, Le Bris hinted that the demanding schedule is taking some getting used to.
“We are experiencing probably the most demanding challenge Sunderland have ever faced in history: Premier League, Europa League, quarter-final in Carabao Cup, FA Cup later, and we earned it last season and we are pleased to be in this position. But playing every three days is much more demanding than preparing a game with one full week.” – Regis Le Bris
CRYSTAL PALACE
Quinten Timber (hamstring) and Jorgen Strand Larsen (ankle) are back in the Palace squad for Thursday’s clash with Hoffenheim.
The Eagles have no fresh concerns, either.
“Both [players] will be back with us. They were training with us last week but not ready to play, but now they are ready to play.
“All [others] will be okay.” – Pierre Sage on Jorgen Strand Larsen and Quinten Timber, via the Palace website
Ismaila Sarr (groin), Takehiro Tomiyasu (calf) and Chadi Riad (knee) remain out.
Jean-Philippe Mateta will miss Gameweeks 10-12 through suspension but can play in the Europa League this week. An appeal against his red card at Tottenham Hotspur has failed.
