Team News

• Saliba · 0%
• Jurriën Timber · 0%

Jurrien Timber (groin) and long-term absentee William Saliba (back) remain out, while Bruno Guimaraes is a doubt for Monday’s clash with Aston Villa. The Brazilian came off at half-time in the Community Shield and hasn't featured since, while he was not seen by the watching media in a training session on Thursday. Mikel Arteta did say, however, that Bruno has been out on the grass this week in some "managed" sessions, and could "potentially [be] available". Either way, you can't imagine he'll start. Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, late back from World Cup duty and not starting a single pre-season match, were thrust straight into the line-up against Coventry, so there's little lingering doubt about their match-readiness now, especially after a 10-day gap between Gameweeks 1 and 2. With Christos Tzolis, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz among the returns on the opening day, and Myles Lewis-Skelly impressing in a Bruno-less midfield, probably the only real call is over whether Ezri Konsa is going to make his Arsenal debut against his old club. Arteta confirmed that he's "available", but with Konsa having not kicked a ball since the World Cup, you wonder if the Arsenal boss will stick with Cristhian Mosquera after last Friday's clean sheet and not risk whipping up the Villa Park faithful by starting Konsa so soon after he switched between the two clubs.

• Mvom Onana · 0%

• Madjo · 25%
• Manzambi · 25%

• João Gomes · 0%

Unai Emery confirmed on Friday that he had said his goodbyes to Ollie Watkins, who looks set to move to Saudi Arabia. He also mentioned a “new chapter here with Nicolas Jackson”. While those deals have yet to be officially confirmed, reports suggest that Jackson was indeed registered in time to be considered for selection against Arsenal. Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Leon Goretzka could also feature following their arrivals. Joao Gomes serves the first game of a three-match ban for his red card at Brighton, while Johan Manzambi (knee), Tammy Abraham (knock) and Brian Madjo (unknown) are all expected to remain out. Amadou Onana (knee) will miss most, if not all, of 2026/27. Zion Suzuki could start for the first time in goal, while Wan-Bissaka and Matteo Ruggeri are options to come in for Matty Cash and Ian Maatsen, should Emery opt for a more defensive approach. The Spaniard said Goretzka has “arrived fit and he’s training well”, and that “hopefully on Monday he can be on the field”. Given Joao Gomes’ suspension, he may be pressed into action earlier than anticipated. Lamare Bogarde and Ross Barkley are the alternatives to partner Boubacar Kamara in central midfield. Alejandro Garnacho could potentially oust George Hemmings, while Emi Buendia will be ready to continue as a false nine if Jackson isn’t involved from the start.

• Adli · 0%
• Araujo
• Kroupi · 0%
• Milosavljevic · 0%

Amine Adli (calf), Eli Kroupi (foot), Veljko Milosavljevic (knee) and Julian Araujo (thigh) are on the medium-term injury list, but Bournemouth have no fresh fitness concerns and Ryan Christie returns from both injury and suspension. Due to the former, Christie hasn't played any minutes since late July, so it's hard to imagine that he'll be troubling the starting XI just yet. There could still be an alteration in the engine room regardless, however. Tyler Adams, whose own pre-season was affected by a late return from World Cup duty and injury issues, got fitness-boosting minutes off the bench on his comeback against Manchester City in Gameweek 1. He may oust Lewis Cook, although it's an alteration that could still come a week early. Elsewhere, given the impressive performance at the Etihad, it's hard to imagine much else changing. Adam Smith was praised by his manager this week after doing well against Antoine Semenyo, and with positional rival Juanlu Sanchez yet to get any game-time with his new club, that changing of the guard at right-back may be a little while away yet.

• Milambo · 0%
• van den Berg · 0%

• Jensen · 75%

Sepp van den Berg (groin) and Antoni Milambo (knee) remain out but Yehor Yarmoliuk is fine, despite appearing to limp off in midweek. New boy El Hadji Malick Diouf could be in the squad, too, although Keith Andrews said on Friday that he is not sure whether Diouf will be registered in time for Sunday's game at Leeds United. We can probably expect the same team that demolished Tottenham Hotspur to face Leeds, particularly as Andrews rested eight of them in the EFL Cup pasting of Birmingham City. Even one of the three who kept his place, Dango Ouattara, was limited to 45 minutes.

• Ferguson · 0%
• Minteh · 0%
• Mitoma · 0%
• Tzimas · 0%

• Ayari · 75%
• Hinshelwood · 25%
• Rutter · 75%

Yankuba Minteh (leg), Evan Ferguson (ankle), Kaoru Mitoma (hamstring) and Stefanos Tzimas (knee) are all out, while there's a fresh injury blow concerning Jack Hinshelwood. The midfielder sat out Thursday's win over Tromso after picking up an injury in training, and reports suggest he could be out for 5-6 weeks. While Fabian Hurzeler didn't confirm that timeline, he did admit that "it might be too close" for the weekend and that the Seagulls would have to "see how the next weeks are going". As for Georginio Rutter, who also missed the midweek UEFA Conference League tie, he has a "higher chance" of featuring, but it's worth mentioning that he wasn't in training as of Wednesday. Someone who *has* returned to training this week is Ferdi Kadioglu, who sat out Gameweek 1. Hurzeler did suggest that the Turkish defender was not quite fully fit, however, and he didn't even get off the bench against Tromso. Thursday's line-up may remain unchanged, then, if Kadioglu and Rutter aren't able to start. If they are, Lewis Dunk and Olivier Boscagli may be locked in a straight battle at centre-half, while Charalampos Kostoulas could drop out up top. Matt O'Riley got the nod to replace Hinshelwood on Thursday, but Hurzeler could go about that in a different way this weekend, particularly if the versatile Rutter and/or Kadioglu are available. Diego Gomez or Pascal Gross could move into the '10', for instance. The new signings, striker Promise David and left-back Jaouen Hadjam, should be involved on Sunday but you'd imagine they'll be on bench duty at first.

• Henderson · 75%

• Moises Caicedo · 75%
• Palestra · 50%

Xabi Alonso was hopeful that Moises Caicedo (unspecified) would be ready to face Brighton and Hove Albion, with the midfielder earmarked for a return to training on Friday. Wesley Fofana returns from a ban, too. On the negative side, Alonso hinted earlier this week that Marco Palestra (unspecified) wouldn't recover in time for Gameweek 2 and suggested Jordan Henderson (wrist) is also still sidelined. If Caicedo is fit, he could come in for Romeo Lavia in midfield, although the latter's rest in midweek could be telling. It's also not a given that Fofana, Chelsea's leading player for pre-season minutes, ousts Josh Acheampong, who has performed well in the right-sided centre-half role in the defender's absence. Pedro Neto is a possible alternative to Malo Gusto at right wing-back, while Alonso said he has made a decision over which goalkeeper will start on Sunday - but he wouldn't say whether it was Mike Penders or under-fire Robert Sanchez. Just to complicate matters, Emi Martinez is reportedly on his way into the club, although the move remains unconfirmed at the time of writing.

• Hayden
• Mfuni
• Woolfenden · 0%
• Wright · 0%

• Onyeka · 75%

Haji Wright (quad) is the only first-team absentee, with the exception of back-up defenders Luke Woolfenden (knee) and Keane Kesler-Hayden (hamstring). Does Frank Lampard make any changes from Gameweek 1, considering that the new boys were, after all, facing the reigning champions away? Taiwo Awoniyi certainly made an impression in the EFL Cup in midweek and may threaten Ellis Simms up top, while Ephron Mason-Clark also caught the eye - although those were his first minutes in nearly a month and a start on the left wing may be beyond him. There are also question marks over the true match fitness of Gus Hamer and Jack Rudoni, as one of those could come into the starting XI this weekend if Lampard opts to go with a more attacking line-up for this more winnable fixture. Caleb Yirenkyi was the only Gameweek 1 starter to get more than 45 minutes in the EFL Cup, so what an indication that he may make way for a more attacking option in midfield?

• Mateta · 0%
• Riad
• Ismaila Sarr · 0%

Palace will be without Ismaïla Sarr (groin) and Chadi Riad (knee) for the visit of Manchester City on Friday night. Sarr is being heavily linked with a move away from the Eagles, although the official line is that he’s injured. Riad, meanwhile, is feared to have picked up a long-term knee problem after being stretchered off in Gameweek 1. Reports on Friday suggest that Jean-Philippe Mateta is also set to miss out with a hamstring issue. Takehiro Tomiyasu or new loan arrival Axel Disasi will step in for Riad; you wonder how match-fit Disasi is after his lack of involvement under Xabi Alonso in pre-season. Pierre Sage hinted as much on Wednesday. There's plenty of uncertainty elsewhere, particularly at right wing-back and in attack. Daniel Munoz got the nod on the opening weekend but with rumours continually linking him with an exit, and Palace recruiting right-sided defensive options Oscar Mingueza and Anan Khalaili, there may be a changing of the guard there. As for the front three, Yeremy Pino, late back from the World Cup and failing to get any pre-season minutes, may be a week closer to bothering the starting XI, having replaced Eddie Nketiah early in the second half at Everton. Evann Guessand is another alternative in the '10' roles, while Jorgen Strand Larsen likely fills in for Mateta.

• Norgaard

Christian Nørgaard (groin) remains sidelined, while David Moyes says that Hayden Hackney is "touch and go" after missing the midweek Carabao Cup clash at Preston with an ankle issue. Tim Iroegbunam, heavily linked with a move away, has been absent recently with a groin problem of his own. So, might the fit-again James Garner be fast-tracked into a first Premier League start of 2026/27? Moyes admitted that Garner wouldn't have started against Preston had Hackney been fit, but added that he "needs minutes" to rediscover his "levels". If Garner isn't ready, the alternatives would be moving Merlin Rohl or Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall into the engine room, bringing in Jake O'Brien at right-back or Carlos Alcaraz further forward. There'll likely be little else changing from Gameweek 1 after a 2-0 win over Palace, but Brennan Johnson did impress against Preston in midweek and could enter the thinking out wide. For now, Iliman Ndiaye remains an Everton player, with Moyes saying the Toffees are "certainly not in a hurry to sell our best players".

• Cairney · 0%

• De Fougerolles · 50%

Tom Cairney (knee) remains out until after the September international break, while back-up centre-half Luc De Fougerolles is a concern after coming off in Thursday's EFL Cup win over Wimbledon - not that he would have troubled the Premier League XI anyway. In better news, Joachim Andersen is back available after his three-match ban, carried over from last season, was completed in Gameweek 1. Andersen started Thursday's cup tie but, substituted after the hour mark, you wonder if Alvaro Arbeloa was preserving him for Sunday. Jorge Cuenca may make way on Wearside. Arbeloa made 10 changes for the Wimbledon clash, with Oscar Bobb the only survivor - and even he came off at half-time. We can expect the team that impressed against Chelsea to go again, then, with the possible aforementioned addition of Andersen.

• Butland · 0%
• Gelhardt · 0%
• Gyabi · 0%
• Hughes · 0%
• Jacob · 0%
• Matazo · 0%
• Zambrano · 0%

• Coyle · 75%
• Crooks · 75%

Jack Butland (shoulder), Elliot Matazo (knee), Charlie Hughes (groin), Darko Gyabi (thigh), Joe Gelhardt (ankle), Oscar Zambrano (hamstring) and Matty Jacob (hip) remain out but there’s a big boost for Hull as the four defenders who came off on Saturday look to be okay. Nobel Mendy, Semi Ajayi and Ryan Giles all merely had cramp (Mendy and Giles were even on the bench in the EFL Cup tie in midweek), while Lewie Coyle has ongoing ankle niggles rather than a fresh injury. Sergej Jakirovic, perhaps tellingly, made 11 changes for Tuesday's clash with Stoke, so the victorious Gameweek 1 line-up should return at Coventry. There were suggestions on Friday that Giles could be on his way to Burnley, but that move doesn't look like it'll be done before the weekend. Matt Targett or a redeployed Elliot Stroud could do a job at left wing-back, if needed. With this being an easier-on-paper fixture, there's also the possibility of Jakirovic dropping a centre-half and moving to a 4-2-3-1, a system he used heavily in the Championship.

• Philogene-Bidace
• Taylor · 0%

• Emersonn · 75%
• Matusiwa · 50%
• Florentino · 75%

Jack Taylor (knee), Jaden Philogene (ankle) and Azor Mutisawa (muscle) remain out but Luis Florentino (calf) has trained this week and could come back into the squad. New boy Exequiel Palacios is also set to be involved in some capacity, although after a late return from World Cup duty and minimal minutes at Bayer Leverkusen, that may be as a substitute. Marcelino Nunez is the player at risk in the middle of the park, and the fact that he was one of just two Gameweek 1 starters - the other being Dara O'Shea - who wasn't rested for the midweek cup tie against Leicester, there's clearly some risk there. If it's not this week (two cup goals may have helped him, as might the fitness of Palacios/Florentino), his time in the engine room likely comes to an end soon. Other than that possible alteration, we're not expecting much else to change from the 2-1 win over Sunderland.

• Mateo Joseph · 0%

• Gruev · 25%
• Rodon · 50%

Gabriel Gudmundsson (hamstring) and Wilfried Gnonto (hamstring) returned to team training on Friday, while long-term absentee Ilia Gruev (knee) has been back on the grass for a while and is “closer” to being involved. In all three cases, however, you'd imagine it's bench duty at best, given their respective lengths of absence. Indeed, we're probably going to see the same team that beat Nottingham Forest last Saturday. Noah Okafor, who had a late return to pre-season training after World Cup duty, is a week (and one EFL Cup start) closer to returning to the Premier League XI, but Daniel Farke likely sticks with Brenden Aaronson for now. James Justin, similarly, has the fitness edge over Gudmundsson for now. Nico Elvedi had a very impressive debut in the cup but is likely to be back down among the substitutes in Gameweek 2.

• Bradley · 0%
• Chiesa · 0%
• Ekitiké · 0%
• Gomez · 0%
• Leoni · 0%

Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Conor Bradley (knee), Giovanni Leoni (knee) and Joe Gomez (muscle) remain out for the Reds, while Andoni Iraola revealed that Federico Chiesa wasn’t in the matchday squad in Gameweek 1 due to a muscle injury. He's still sidelined. Jeremy Jacquet is fine after his substitution last weekend, at least, and his removal was merely down to fatigue. Despite the unconvincing nature of the performance at Newcastle, we're probably only looking at one change at most this weekend - maybe even none. Victor Munoz for Rio Ngumoha (or Cody Gakpo if he suddenly leaves before the game!) is one option, but the Reds may be taking time with the Spaniard's fitness after a disrupted pre-season. The same likely goes for fellow World Cup finalist Alexis Mac Allister.

• Doku · 0%

Jeremy Doku (calf) remains out, while Matheus Nunes - who pulled out of the Manchester City squad ahead of kick-off in the Community Shield before making a return as a second-half substitute against Bournemouth - "is still not 100%". Elliot Anderson, however, is fine, as it was only cramp that forced him off last weekend. As for new boy Ayyoub Bouaddi, he is available for selection for City’s trip to Crystal Palace on Friday evening. Maresca did mention a few times in his presser that the 18-year-old "needs adaptation" and that there's "no rush for him", so you wonder if Mateo Kovacic or, as happened last weekend, an 'out of position' Marc Guehi will start in midfield for the time being. With Nunes not fully fit and Rico Lewis having a bit of a shocker against Bournemouth, we could see Nico O'Reilly revert from duties in the '10' to inverted left-back. That would, in turn, free up a spot for Rayan Cherki, who made a huge impact off the bench in Gameweek 1.

• Baleba · 0%
• Amad Diallo · 0%
• Ugarte · 0%

• de Ligt · 25%
• Heaton · 25%

Amad Diallo (unspecified) and Carlos Baleba (ankle) will miss the Ipswich game this weekend. Both are hoping to return before the international break. Manuel Ugarte (knee) is also out long term, while we await to hear how far away Matthijs de Ligt (back) is from a playing comeback after a recent return to training. Also back in training is Mason Mount (knock), who has been out for a much shorter period, and he could feature against Ipswich. How many changes does Michael Carrick make after the debacle at Hull? That may depend on the match-readiness of the likes of Lisandro Martinez, Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford, who all returned late from World Cup duty and had only half an hour of pre-season action. Rashford and Mainoo at least had further fitness-boosting second-half appearances on Humberside, with Rashford even replacing Patrick Dorgu as early as the interval. Diogo Dalot for Noussair Mazraoui is another plausible alteration, although it may be too soon for Benjamin Sesko after his summer was completely wiped out by injury.

• Joelinton · 0%
• Burn · 0%
• Osula · 0%

• Livramento · 25%
• Touré · 75%

Joelinton (unspecified), Dan Burn (ankle) and Will Osula (foot) remain out, and while Tino Livramento (calf) is back in training, it sounds like Gameweek 2 comes too soon for him. Bazoumana Toure came off at half-time in Wednesday’s EFL Cup win but should be fine. Newcastle have welcomed Nico Gonzalez to the club this week, and while Matthias Jaissle said the big-money midfield signing "will take time" to learn the club's methods, he did add that he has "trained with us, looks sharp [and] is an option". Gonzalez has had a full pre-season with Manchester City, too, featuring in all three friendlies and the Community Shield. All the question marks come in the middle of the park, then. Will Gonzalez come straight in and upset the promising, but extremely raw, partnership of Sean Steur and Lewis Miley? And does Joe Willock get the nod in the '10' role after impressing off the bench last weekend, even though he continues to be linked with a move to Besiktas? Other than that, this XI looks fairly settled.

• Sangaré · 0%
• Savona · 0%

Morgan Gibbs-White (knee) is fit for the trip to Liverpool, having sat out the EFL Cup tie with Leeds United in midweek. Ryan Yates has also recovered from a minor issue but Ibrahim Sangare (calf) has joined Nicolo Savona (knee) on the injury list. Who comes in for Sangare is the big call, with Nicolas Dominguez and Xaver Schlager giving fairly unremarkable auditions when paired together for the midweek EFL Cup tie. Yates is another option, if fully fit. Ousmane Diomande for Jair Cunha is one other possible change from Gameweek 1 but the former still looks slightly below-par in terms of fitness following his big-money summer move. Liam Delap has joined Forest this week and could make his debut, most likely as a substitute.

• Adingra · 0%

• Diarra · 75%

New boy Dayann Methalie can't feature because he serves a suspension carried over from his time in France, while Simon Adingra (ankle) remains out. The big question this week is whether Nordi Mukiele and Omar Alderete will be fit to start, following their returns from injury as substitutes in Gameweek 1. Regis Le Bris said both players were "ready" but did express some caution, saying that Mukieke has had "three weeks less in this journey" and that Alderete is "not at his best right now". Alderete at least got off the bench on the opening weekend, and after the horror show from Luke O'Nien, you wouldn't be surprised if the Paraguayan at least comes into the side. Mukiele is a tougher call, with zero minutes since August 2 and Thomas Meunier as an experienced, ready-made replacement.