Our football injury updates track every confirmed absence that matters at the biggest Premier League clubs, plus key players in Spain, Italy, Germany, France and the NPFL, with the injury, the expected return and the source for each one. We refresh this page every morning and before every matchday.
Last updated: Friday 16 October 2026, morning (WAT). Next refresh: Saturday 17 October, after weekend kick-offs and any late pressers.
TL;DR
- Liverpool: Andoni Iraola says it is still “too early” on Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai for Brentford, but he will “leave the chance open” after Friday’s training. Ryan Gravenberch is banned, and Giovanni Leoni’s rehab now targets the November break.
- Newcastle: Matthias Jaissle says Bazoumana Touré is “much better” and hopes he can face Aston Villa. Anthony Elanga, Jacob Ramsey and Tino Livramento are out; Elanga and Ramsey could join partial training next week.
- Manchester United: Lisandro Martínez has been fined and apologised, and he is available for Leeds. Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo await Michael Carrick’s Friday update.
- Roma: Manu Koné (thigh) and Paulo Dybala (calf) are still waiting on instrumental tests after going off against Real Madrid.
- Europe: Manuel Neuer missed Bayern’s Thursday pitch session before RB Leipzig; Raphinha and Frenkie de Jong are back in Barcelona group training before Betis.
18+ only. Predictions are informed opinions, not guarantees. Betting involves risk, so stake only what you can afford to lose.
Which Premier League players are injured right now?
Thursday’s press conferences opened Premier League Matchweek 7, which starts on Saturday 17 October. We list a player only when a club statement or at least two reputable outlets confirm the status. Items marked “single source” have only one report so far. “TBC” means the club has not given a return date. For fixtures and picks, see our weekly football predictions, and check today’s kick-offs on our football scores and fixtures page.
Arsenal
There are no new Arsenal injuries since Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Lille. Mikel Arteta’s latest update still stands ahead of Sunday’s trip to Nottingham Forest: “Zubi is much, much better. Piero is improving, but he looks more significant. I think it will be a matter of weeks.” He expects Zubimendi to be out for “days” only. Arteta’s pre-Forest briefing should settle Zubimendi’s squad status.
| Player | Injury | Expected return | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piero Hincapié | Ankle (post-match training, 10 Oct) | A matter of weeks. Possible: Slavia Prague, 4 Nov | Arsenal.com; Premier League; The Standard |
| Martín Zubimendi | Ankle (post-match training, 10 Oct) | Days. Possible: Nott’m Forest, 18 Oct | Premier League; The Standard; Football London |
| William Saliba | Back | Weeks; training alone, “in the next few weeks” per Arteta | Arsenal.com; BBC Sport |
| Christos Tzolis | Hamstring (Greece duty) | “A few weeks”. Possible: Everton, 24 Oct | Arsenal.com; The Standard |
Chelsea
Xabi Alonso’s Friday press conference is due before Saturday’s lunchtime trip to Everton. His midweek line still stands: tests showed “little issues” on Reece James’s knee, so Chelsea are judging him week by week. Jamie Gittens remains out with the ankle injury from England Under-21 duty; The Standard now points to Manchester United on 31 October as a realistic return.
| Player | Injury | Expected return | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reece James | Knee (training) | TBC; assessed “week by week”. Possible: Tottenham, 24 Oct | The Standard; Football London |
| Jamie Gittens | Ankle (England U21 duty) | “A few weeks”. Possible: Man United, 31 Oct | BBC Sport; The Standard |
Liverpool
Liverpool won 6-3 at LASK on Wednesday without Isak, Gakpo and Szoboszlai. At his pre-Brentford press conference on Thursday, Andoni Iraola said: “It’s early for us to say, we have still tomorrow’s training… the same way I said they are not available for the previous games, I leave the chance open this time, yes.” Ryan Gravenberch serves his one-match ban at Brentford. Iraola also said Giovanni Leoni’s knee rehab has slipped and now targets a return to first-team training around the November international break.
| Player | Injury | Expected return | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Isak | Thigh (Sweden duty) | TBC; Friday training decides Brentford chance | Liverpool FC; BBC Sport; Premier League |
| Cody Gakpo | Ankle (Netherlands duty) | TBC; Friday training decides Brentford chance | Liverpool FC; BBC Sport; Premier League |
| Dominik Szoboszlai | Hamstring | TBC; Friday training decides Brentford chance | Liverpool FC; BBC Sport; Premier League |
| Hugo Ekitike | Achilles | Long-term | Liverpool FC; This Is Anfield |
| Conor Bradley | Knee | Long-term | Liverpool FC; This Is Anfield |
| Giovanni Leoni | Knee (ACL, complex) | First-team training targeted around November break | Liverpool FC; The Guardian; Liverpool Echo |
| Ryan Gravenberch | Suspended (two yellows v Man City) | Misses Brentford, 17 Oct | This Is Anfield; Sky Sports |
Manchester United
Lisandro Martínez is available for Sunday’s trip to Leeds after apologising for his criticism of the club’s hierarchy and being fined. Michael Carrick decides whether he starts. Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo missed Atlético Madrid after knocks against Tottenham; Sports Mole lists both as minor doubts for Leeds, with Carrick’s Friday press conference the next update. Leny Yoro’s Champions League ban does not cover the Premier League.
| Player | Injury | Expected return | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lisandro Martínez | Available (fined after interview; not injured) | Available for Leeds, 18 Oct; start TBC | Telegraph; The Standard; BBC Sport |
| Leny Yoro | Suspended (straight red v Atlético, UCL) | Misses the next Champions League game; available for Leeds | Sky Sports; The Independent |
| Luke Shaw | Knock v Tottenham | Minor doubt for Leeds; Carrick Friday update | Sky Sports; BBC Sport; Sports Mole |
| Kobbie Mainoo | Knock v Tottenham | Minor doubt for Leeds; Carrick Friday update | Sky Sports; BBC Sport; Sports Mole |
| Benjamin Šeško | Shin | TBC; extra tests, “no better timeframe” | Sports Mole; Manchester Evening News |
| Patrick Dorgu | Hamstring | “A number of weeks” | BBC Sport; Manchester Evening News |
| Noussair Mazraoui | Injury on Morocco duty | TBC | BBC Sport; Manchester Evening News |
| Manuel Ugarte | Knee (surgery rehab) | Longer-term; no date | Manchester Evening News; ESPN |
Aston Villa
Villa beat Fenerbahçe 6-0 on Wednesday, but Ross Barkley went off late after stretching for a tackle and remains a doubt for Newcastle with no club diagnosis yet. Before that game, Unai Emery said Matteo Ruggeri will miss “more than one month”, while Leon Goretzka made his Villa debut off the bench. Sports Mole’s Villa list also carries Brian Madjo as a minor doubt and Modou Keba Cissé, Ian Maatsen and Amadou Onana among the longer absences ahead of St James’ Park.
| Player | Injury | Expected return | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ross Barkley | Upper leg or hip (forced off v Fenerbahçe) | Doubt for Newcastle, 17 Oct; no diagnosis yet | FotMob; GiveMeSport |
| Matteo Ruggeri | Hamstring (v Brentford) | “More than one month”; after the November break | BBC Sport; Sports Mole |
| Ian Maatsen | Ankle / foot | Out; Sports Mole points toward late October | BBC Sport; Sports Mole |
| George Hemmings | “Small pain” | Could return v Newcastle, 17 Oct | BBC Sport; Sports Mole |
| Brian Madjo | Minor doubt | Assessed for Newcastle | Sports Mole (single source) |
| Modou Keba Cissé | Major doubt | Assessed for Newcastle | Sports Mole (single source) |
| Amadou Onana | Knee | Long-term | Sports Mole; Premier Injuries |
Newcastle United
Matthias Jaissle’s Thursday briefing flipped several Newcastle lines before Saturday’s home game with Aston Villa. Touré “seems to be much better” and Jaissle hopes he can “join the group on Saturday”. Elanga and Ramsey are out of the Villa game but could join partial group training next week. Livramento needs “the next few weeks” and will not be rushed. Dan Burn is unlikely to start after only a few sessions back; Joelinton has trained longer and could start.
| Player | Injury | Expected return | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bazoumana Touré | Ankle / leg blow (v Coventry) | Hopeful for Aston Villa, 17 Oct | Newcastle United; BBC Sport; Shields Gazette |
| Anthony Elanga | Thigh / soft tissue | Out of Villa; partial training targeted next week | Newcastle United; GiveMeSport; Shields Gazette |
| Jacob Ramsey | Thigh | Out of Villa; partial training targeted next week | Newcastle United; GiveMeSport; Shields Gazette |
| Tino Livramento | Muscle (thigh) | Weeks; cautious return | Newcastle United; Chronicle Live; GiveMeSport |
| Ewen Jaouen | Hamstring | About two months | Newcastle United; BBC Sport |
| Dan Burn | Returning from injury | Unlikely to start v Villa; bench option | Newcastle United; GiveMeSport |
| Joelinton | Returning from thigh | Could start v Villa | Newcastle United; RotoWire; GiveMeSport |
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham host Coventry on Monday 19 October. Pedro Porro remains a hamstring doubt, with Chelsea on 24 October still the more realistic target in several reports. Dejan Kulusevski may make the squad if his patella recovery holds. Rodrigo Bentancur serves the next of his three-match ban.
| Player | Injury | Expected return | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rodrigo Bentancur | Suspended (straight red v Man United) | Misses Coventry, Chelsea and Crystal Palace | BBC Sport; Football London |
| Pedro Porro | Hamstring | Doubt for Coventry; possible Chelsea, 24 Oct | Tottenham Hotspur; The Standard |
| Dejan Kulusevski | Knee (patella) | May make Coventry squad; November return also floated | The Standard; Spurs Web |
| Xavi Simons | ACL | Long-term | The Standard; Sports Mole |
| Wilson Odobert | ACL | Long-term | The Standard; Sports Mole |
Bournemouth and Manchester City
Bournemouth beat Sturm Graz 3-0 in the Europa League on Thursday without Alex Scott, who Marco Rose has said will be out for “four to five weeks”. Junior Kroupi is back in individual training after foot surgery, with Rose targeting “the end of October or beginning of November”. Manchester City carry no known injuries into Saturday’s home game with Ipswich; Enzo Maresca has signalled rotation after the midweek Champions League defeat by PSG, with Phil Foden available again after his domestic ban.
What changed after Europa League Matchday 2?
Thursday’s European night is done. Bournemouth beat Sturm Graz 3-0, Sunderland won 2-1 at Torreense, AC Milan won 4-0 at RB Salzburg and Juventus won 2-1 at Celta Vigo without Kenan Yildiz, Manuel Locatelli and Khephren Thuram. Lyon beat Crystal Palace 3-2, and Brighton won 4-0 against Kauno Žalgiris in the Conference League. Champions League Matchday 2 earlier in the week still frames the weekend: LASK 3-6 Liverpool, Roma 3-4 Real Madrid (Koné and Dybala forced off), Aston Villa 6-0 Fenerbahçe and Manchester City 2-4 PSG. Full results are on UEFA.com and in our Champions League section.
Roma are still waiting on instrumental tests for Koné’s right thigh (biceps femoris) and Dybala’s calf discomfort. Gasperini called Koné’s problem a muscle strain and said the scans would decide how serious it is. Treat both as out until Roma publish the results.
Which key players are back or close to returning?
- Bazoumana Touré (Newcastle): Jaissle says he is “much better” and hopes he can face Villa on Saturday.
- Martín Zubimendi (Arsenal): Arteta still expects him back within days, so he could make the Forest squad. Expect a cameo rather than a start.
- Raphinha and Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona): both back in group training; Flick decides on Betis after assessing how they feel.
- Lisandro Martínez (Man United): available for Leeds after his apology and fine.
- Joelinton and Dan Burn (Newcastle): both back in the matchday picture; Joelinton is closer to a start.
- Phil Foden (Man City): available again after serving his three-match domestic ban.
- Odinaka Okoro (Sporting Lagos): back in the squad after injury, coach Jeffrey Buter confirmed.
Returning players often get short, cautious minutes at first, so a name on the bench does not guarantee an impact.
Which fitness tests decide this weekend’s games?
| Fixture (WAT) | Key question | Players to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Everton v Chelsea, Sat 12:30 | Does James return? | Reece James |
| Brentford v Liverpool, Sat 15:00 | Do Isak, Gakpo or Szoboszlai clear Friday training? | Isak, Gakpo, Szoboszlai (Gravenberch banned) |
| Man City v Ipswich, Sat 15:00 | How much does Maresca rotate? | Full squad; rotation expected |
| Newcastle v Aston Villa, Sat 17:30 | Do Touré and Barkley make it? | Touré, Barkley; Elanga/Ramsey/Livramento out |
| Bayern v RB Leipzig, Sat 17:30 | Is Neuer back in goal? | Neuer (decision after Friday session), Musiala |
| Real Betis v Barcelona, Sat 17:30 | Do Raphinha and De Jong travel? | Raphinha, De Jong |
| Roma v Genoa, Sat 19:45 | What do Koné’s and Dybala’s scans say? | Koné, Dybala |
| Leeds v Man United, Sun 14:00 | Do Shaw, Mainoo and Martínez feature? | Shaw, Mainoo, Martínez, Šeško |
| Nott’m Forest v Arsenal, Sun 16:30 | Is Zubimendi back? | Zubimendi, Hincapié, Saliba |
| Real Madrid v Sevilla, Sun 20:00 | Who replaces the banned Vinícius? | Vinícius (banned), Militão |
| Tottenham v Coventry, Mon 20:00 | Does Porro make the squad? | Porro, Kulusevski (Bentancur banned) |
We will update each answer after any remaining Friday press conferences, and again on matchday when line-ups arrive. Our weekly football predictions page uses the same team news to set its confidence levels.
Which European stars are injured or suspended?
| Player | Club | Injury | Expected return | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vinícius Júnior | Real Madrid | Suspended: four LaLiga games (two for violent conduct v Villarreal, two for protests) | Misses Sevilla (18 Oct), Barcelona (25 Oct), Racing and Valencia; free for RB Leipzig (UCL, 21 Oct). Appeal context: best realistic cut is three games, still missing the Clásico | RFEF via ABC; ESPN; AP; Goal |
| Éder Militão | Real Madrid | Thigh | Out of Sevilla; Mourinho: “He needs a couple of weeks” | AS (via Madrid Universal) (single source) |
| Raphinha | Barcelona | Thigh (muscle) | Back in group training; Flick decides for Betis, 17 Oct | Mundo Deportivo; FC Barcelona; ABC |
| Frenkie de Jong | Barcelona | Knee | Fully training; available for selection pending clearance for Betis | Mundo Deportivo; FC Barcelona; ABC |
| Manu Koné | Roma | Thigh (right biceps femoris; off after 17 min v Real Madrid) | TBC; instrumental tests due | Sky Sport; Corriere dello Sport; Gazzetta |
| Paulo Dybala | Roma | Calf discomfort (off at half-time v Real Madrid) | TBC; instrumental tests due; early reports say less serious than Koné | Sky Sport; Corriere dello Sport; Gazzetta |
| Kenan Yildiz | Juventus | Foot fracture (surgery) | Early December* | Gazzetta dello Sport; Tuttomercatoweb; Sports Mole |
| Manuel Locatelli | Juventus | Knee (meniscus surgery) | Six to seven months* | Gazzetta dello Sport; Tuttomercatoweb; Sports Mole |
| Khephren Thuram | Juventus | Knee (cartilage surgery) | Early 2027* | Gazzetta dello Sport; Tuttomercatoweb; Sports Mole |
| Matteo Gabbia | AC Milan | Thigh flexor lesion with tendon involvement | 2027 | Gazzetta dello Sport; Corriere della Sera |
| Michael Olise | Bayern Munich | Suspended (two yellows v Viking, UCL) | Misses Arsenal (UCL); free for the Bundesliga | Bundesliga.com; AP; Bild |
| Manuel Neuer | Bayern Munich | Foot problem | Missed Thursday team session; decision after Friday training for RB Leipzig, 17 Oct | Bild; ESPN; Bavarian Football Works |
| Jamal Musiala | Bayern Munich | Hamstring / thigh | Doubt for RB Leipzig, 17 Oct | Bundesliga.com; ESPN; Sports Mole |
| Senny Mayulu | PSG | Thigh | About a month; missed City | PSG.fr; L’Équipe |
Domestic bans do not carry into European competition, and European bans do not carry into league games. That is why Vinícius started at Roma, and why Olise can still play in the Bundesliga this weekend. See how these absences shape our picks on the weekly football predictions page.
What is the latest NPFL injury news?
Plateau United were without four injured players for Matchday 8 against Kano Pillars: Monami Vongsuou and ThankGod Chinemeze (knee), Seiyefa Jackson (rib fracture) and Utin Ikowem (ankle sprain). Sporting Lagos coach Jeffrey Buter has confirmed Odinaka Okoro is back for their Matchday 9 trip to Plateau United. Two reports still have only one source so far, Daily Post: Rivers United goalkeeper Ani Ozoemena is back in full training after surgery, and Barau FC captain Usman Maidubji is back in training after a long lay-off. NPFL clubs publish less medical news than European clubs, so treat these as early reports until the clubs confirm them. Follow our football news for updates.
How do injuries change football betting markets?
- Starting XI: losing a holding midfielder such as Koné or a first-choice full-back such as Shaw changes how a team builds play.
- Goal lines: missing forwards such as Isak, Gakpo and Vinícius, or a first-choice goalkeeper such as Neuer, often moves total-goals lines first.
- Suspensions: bans such as Vinícius’s and Gravenberch’s are known days in advance, so prices usually adjust early.
- Late changes: prices often move sharply when line-ups arrive, about an hour before kick-off, especially when Friday training decides a “chance left open” case such as Liverpool’s trio.
Never chase a rumour. Wait for confirmed team news, and read our responsible gambling guide before you stake.
How do we verify injury news?
We start with club statements and press conferences, then confirm with outlets such as BBC Sport and Sky Sports. We label single-source reports clearly and never invent return dates. For a second daily view of the same squads, see the Photonfire football injury updates. Read how we check our facts and our ownership and affiliate disclosure.
18+ only. Predictions are informed opinions, not guarantees. Betting involves risk, so stake only what you can afford to lose.
FAQ
Why do managers wait until Friday training to confirm injured players?
Because soft-tissue problems can look fine on Thursday and flare after one more session. Andoni Iraola’s “leave the chance open” line on Isak, Gakpo and Szoboszlai is a typical example: the club will not commit until the final training before the match.
What does “doubtful” mean in football team news?
A doubtful player has a fitness issue that may or may not clear before the match. Clubs usually confirm their status in the final press conference or on the team sheet.
How long does a thigh muscle strain usually keep a midfielder out?
It depends on the grade. A mild strain can clear in one to two weeks; a more serious biceps femoris tear, the kind Roma are testing for Manu Koné, can keep a player out for several weeks. Wait for the club’s scan result rather than guessing from the minute he went off.
Where can I check if a player is injured before betting?
Check the club’s official website and press conference first, then reputable outlets such as BBC Sport and Sky Sports. Confirmed line-ups arrive about an hour before kick-off.
Keep up with our latest football news, our Premier League coverage, our weekly football predictions and the Champsquads homepage.
Featured image: Manu Koné (Roma, thigh injury), pictured playing for France. Photo: Bryan Berlin / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; cropped, with a colour overlay added.