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Liverpool leave their three doubts to the last minute as Reece James faces three months out
Liverpool will decide on Szoboszlai, Isak and Gakpo on Saturday, Reece James is out until the new year after knee surgery, and Mitoma is not back for Brighton. Every Gameweek 7 press conference in one place.
Liverpool will wait until Saturday to decide whether Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo are fit to face Brentford.
Andoni Iraola said on Thursday it was very early to say. None of the three had been ready for the midweek game against LASK, and Friday's training would decide.
By Friday afternoon FPL listed all three as doubts. Szoboszlai's chances had been lowered, while Isak and Gakpo, who had been ruled out, had been raised.
Ryan Gravenberch is suspended for the trip after his red card against Manchester City. Iraola also said his squad would change this weekend, with matches coming every three days.
Reece James out until the new year
Chelsea captain Reece James is expected to miss around three months after minor surgery on his knee.
He was left out of the squad to face Bournemouth last Saturday after feeling discomfort in training the day before. Chelsea confirmed on Friday morning that the operation had gone well and that his rehabilitation had begun at Cobham.
Xabi Alonso said on Friday:
"He will be out for several weeks. It won't be short."
The timeline points to a return in mid-January. James will miss Chelsea's home games against Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool, and the trip to Manchester City.
It is another long absence for a player who has rarely gone a full season without one. He had started three of Chelsea's six league games this season.
Jamie Gittens is also out for a few weeks, with an ankle injury from England Under-21 duty.
What does James's injury mean for Chelsea?
It is less damaging to Chelsea than it might once have been, but it is a heavy blow for James himself.
Chelsea have no European football this season, so they play once a week for most of the autumn. A League Cup tie at Liverpool in a couple of weeks is the only extra fixture, and there is another international break next month.
Alonso has mostly used James in midfield. Moisés Caicedo is back from his own injury, and he looked comfortable alongside Jordan Henderson in the 5-1 win over Bournemouth. Romeo Lavia and Valentin Barco are there if Alonso wants to rotate.
The attack is untouched. Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and João Pedro all played last weekend, and no new injury was reported for any of them before Saturday's trip to Everton.
For James, the question is the familiar one: whether he can ever string a full season together.
The others who will be missing
Most of the other news this week came in weeks rather than months.
Nobel Mendy will miss about two weeks with a groin problem, Hull manager Sergej Jakirović said on Thursday. That rules him out of Saturday's trip to Fulham and probably the following week. Jakirović added that Mohamed Belloumi was left on the bench last time through tiredness after international duty, not injury.
Aston Villa go to Newcastle without either of their usual left-backs. Unai Emery said Matteo Ruggeri will be out for more than a month, and that Ian Maatsen should rejoin training in a few days or a week.
At Bournemouth, Marco Rose has Justin Kluivert and Amine Adli back after Thursday's European game, but Alex Scott is out for four to five weeks.
What does Mitoma's absence mean for Brighton?
Kaoru Mitoma will not be back for Sunday's derby against Crystal Palace. Fabian Hürzeler hopes to have him after the international break, and said Brighton have to be more patient with him than with the others.
That keeps Maxim De Cuyper on the left wing, where he has been playing, for at least one more game. Yankuba Minteh and Mats Wieffer are close, but not for this one, and Pascal Struijk will be given one more day before a decision.
Palace arrive without the suspended Axel Disasi and the injured Ben Chilwell. Dean Henderson, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Takehiro Tomiyasu are only expected back on the day itself.
Elsewhere
Everton v Chelsea. David Moyes said Vitalii Mykolenko is much better and has a chance of playing, after missing the draw at Hull.
Brentford v Liverpool. Brentford's press conference had not been reported. Kevin Schade has been listed as a doubt with a shoulder injury since the draw at Aston Villa.
Fulham v Hull. Álvaro Arbeloa said everyone is available apart from Hugo Larsson, a doubt, and the long-term absentees.
Manchester City v Ipswich. City have reported no injuries, and Phil Foden is back from suspension. What Enzo Maresca said about Rayan Cherki, who came off at half-time against PSG, had not been reported. Gary O'Neil expects a full Ipswich squad, with a couple of checks still to do and Abdul Fatawu back from suspension.
Newcastle v Aston Villa. Matthias Jaissle hopes Bazoumana Touré is fit. Anthony Elanga, Tino Livramento and Jacob Ramsey are still out.
Bournemouth v Sunderland. Régis Le Bris ruled out Thomas Meunier and is checking Wilson Isidor day by day. Brian Brobbey and Habib Diarra are back in contention.
Leeds v Manchester United. Daniel Farke said Joe Rodon will miss the game but is edging closer, and that Daniel James depends on how his back responds. Michael Carrick will decide on Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo closer to the game, has Benjamin Šeško out with no timeline yet, and confirmed Lisandro Martínez is in the squad.
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal. Forest's press conference had not been reported. Mikel Arteta said on Tuesday that Martín Zubimendi is much better and that Piero Hincapié will be out for weeks, which makes Riccardo Calafiori an even clearer choice at left-back.
Tottenham v Coventry. Roberto De Zerbi speaks on Sunday morning, after the deadline. Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski are reported to be close. Frank Lampard has Taiwo Awoniyi back from suspension and Kaine Kesler-Hayden fit.
Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and Brentford's press conferences had not been reported when this was written.
The Gameweek 7 deadline is .
Managers' comments are paraphrased from the clubs' own sites and the papers named on the Press conferences page, read on 16 October 2026; the one quotation is Xabi Alonso's, as reported that day. Chances of playing are Fantasy Premier League's injury flags, read the same day.
Figures read on 16 October 2026. The projections are updated daily: FPL notes shows today's figures.