Palmer, Havertz & Romero: Fantasy Premier League injury news for Gameweek 11

Another Fantasy Premier League deadline is just around the corner, and as always we’re here with all of the latest updates from the press conferences and media reports to keep you updated on which players might miss out thanks to injuries.

Cole Palmer is the biggest name who comes into the weekend with one of the dreaded yellow triangles next to his name and we’ve got all the latest news on his condition along with many more players who are at risk of missing minutes.

Before we get underway, we’ll also point you in the direction of our resident FPL expert’s latest advice column, which you can find by clicking here – this week, he looks at whether it makes sense to sell Erling Haaland, debates whether Nottingham Forest assets are worth picking up, and offers up some ideas for forward planning.

Cole Palmer

The single biggest concern for a great many FPL managers will be the health of free-scoring attacking midfielder Cole Palmer, who is a doubt thanks to an unspecified knock. Enzo Maresca was, at least, open about his situation, even if his answer wasn’t entirely helpful.

“Cole is getting better,” the Italian head coach said. “But because he can walk and have dinner doesn’t mean he is completely fit… Hopefully, we can have him for a session, at least on Saturday, and then we take a decision.”

In other words, there is cause for optimism but no certainty. At least it sounds like Palmer isn’t going hungry ahead of a massive match against Arsenal. If you were thinking of signing him this week, we’d advise holding off for now.

Kai Havertz & Martin Ødegaard

Arsenal forward Kai Havertz is a doubt thanks to a “nasty” cut to his head, with Mikel Arteta typically giving little away as to his availability - but unless he suffered any trauma or concussion, it seems probable that he will be able to play at least some part. It may also interest Arsenal fans and FPL managers alike to note that Arteta implied the possibility that club captain Martin Ødegaard could be back this weekend, nearly two months after he sustained ankle ligament damage on international duty, saying that the club would “decide if it’s too early for him to start” ahead of their game against Chelsea on Sunday. As with Palmer, we would suggest holding off for now.

Cristian Romero & Micky van de Ven

Both of Tottenham Hotspur’s first-choice centre-backs are relatively popular picks in the FPL, and both have injury problems – Cristian Romero has a toe injury but “has a chance” to play, according to Ange Postecoglou, while Micky van de Ven will be out until after the international break with a hamstring issue. Timo Werner is also expected to miss out, while Richarlison will be out for a month or so thanks to a fresh hamstring injury of his own.

The many owners of Son Heung-Min may also want to note that Postecoglou addressed his substitution last week, suggesting that Spurs are “managing his minutes” as they can ill afford further injuries out wide. Son came back from an ankle injury last week, but there is a hint that he may not play a full 90 minutes again.

Dwight McNeil

The Everton winger had been marked as a doubt with a knee injury, with The Athletic reporting that he could miss out this weekend. Sean Dyche didn’t make any reference to the former Burnley man or his condition in his pre-match press conference, meaning we’re in the dark here. It is not believed to be a serious or long-term problem, and Dwight McNeil did play the full match last weekend under similar circumstances.

João Pedro & Lewis Dunk

Pedro, a popular budget striker option over the past couple of seasons, has a “big chance” of returning from his recent injury, according to Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler. It may be a little early to bring him back into the fold, especially with other cheap options like Matheus Cunha and Yoane Wissa in form, but it’s worth keeping an eye on him going forward. Centre-back Dunk, a popular mid-price defensive option, remains a significant doubt, however.

Diogo Jota

There’s no surprise that Liverpool midfielder-cum-striker Diogo Jota won’t play this weekend, but Arne Slot did at least provide some clarity on the likely duration of his absence – he will be back “in the first weeks after the international break”, should that be helpful for your forward planning.