As the Premier League season enters the home straight, FPL managers are eagerly anticipating news of possible rotation, injuries and suspensions that could affect their team selection. With every team playing two or three times in the space of a week, the pressure is mounting on managers to keep their squad fresh and injury-free.
One important factor to note from an FPL perspective is the 32-match marker: accumulating ten yellow cards will no longer accrue a two-game suspension after this point and most teams have now hit that milestone. However, the pressure to stay up or sneak into European spots means changes are afoot for many lineups this weekend.
The upcoming weekend features eight matches taking place across Saturday and Sunday, followed by two more on Monday and Tuesday evening. Marco Silva’s Fulham will be hosting Manchester City at Craven Cottage on Sunday, with the Cottagers facing two new concerns in their squad after William was injured in the midweek warmup and Harry Wilson came off injured. Aleksandar Mitrovic continues his long suspension while Man City have almost a full squad to work with and could rotate after winning the title-defining clash with Arsenal in midweek. Nathan Ake is the only injured player for City.
In another fixture, Bournemouth will be hosting Leeds on Sunday, with both teams experiencing injury concerns ahead of another crucial match. Junior Stanislas and Ryan Fredericks are both still out for Bournemouth, while Hamed Traore may be ready to return to the squad. Leeds remain without Tyler Adams and Stuart Dallas and face two further blows ahead of the match. Max Wober is still not yet back in training, and Luis Sinisterra, who scored and then went off injured in midweek, is out for the remainder of the season.
Manchester United will be playing against Aston Villa in another Sunday fixture. Erik ten Hag didn’t have any new injury worries but did criticise his side for lacking concentration and effort after letting a two-goal lead slip at Spurs. The Red Devils are still without Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez and Scott McTominay, but Bruno Fernandes played in midweek after a knock. Aston Villa are missing Leon Bailey, Boubacar Kamara, Philippe Coutinho from midfield, as well as full-back Matty Cash.
The weekend’s matches also see Newcastle hosting Southampton and Liverpool playing against Tottenham. Jurgen Klopp has no new injury concerns and should have Ibrahima Konate back available. Ryan Mason reverted Spurs to a back three for his first game in charge, and the same can be expected here. Hugo Lloris missed out in midweek, while Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur are long-term injuries. Ryan Sessegnon remains a doubt.
In conclusion, the next round of Premier League matches presents many challenges for FPL managers. The pressure is mounting on teams to perform and secure their places in the top division, and as such, rotation, injuries, and suspensions are all possibilities. As always, careful consideration of each team’s situation, form, and potential starting lineups is crucial for successful FPL management.
