Dilemmas of the Week - Gameweek 6 (25/26)

We seem to have remarkably few new injuries this time, despite the flurry of midweek games in the 3rd Round of the League Cup, and opening games in the Europa League for Forest and Villa.

I'm trying to streamline these weekly round-ups a bit from last year, restricting myself for the most part to just the injuries etc. affecting players that are likely to have a major significance in FPL; and also, of course, only to new injuries - I figure everyone should be aware of players who've already been ruled out for some time!  

[For some years, I have found the 'Injuries & Bans' summary on Fantasy Football Scout the most reliable resource for this kind of information; although this site, Premier League Injuries, is a very good alternative (often a little quicker to update, I think - though it did go through a bit of a glitchy period for a while last year).  Go check these out for more comprehensive coverage. 

I see the Fantasy Premier League site has added an improved 'Player Availability' page this year (though hidden under 'The Scout' tab?!). That also seems to be reasonably comprehensive and up-to-date, but god knows how it's supposed to be 'organised' - maybe by 'date of injury'? Obviously, arranging it by club and alphabetical order would be more sensible; but the denizens of FPL Towers seem to have a deep aversion to the sensible.]

So, what are the conundrums we face ahead of Gameweek 6 of the new season?

Does anybody need to be moved out because of injury?

The major anxiety of the week has been that Erling Haaland, owned by nearly half of FPL managers, might be in doubt his week, after Pep reported that he was struggling with a back strain in the game against Arsenal last time. That all seems to have blown over, and, after sitting out the comfortable League Cup win over Huddersfield, he's back in training and expected to be OK to start. City's young Uzbek defender Abdukodir Khusanov, however, came off injured against Arsenal and is expected to miss 3 or 4 games (though hardly anyone owns him...).

It looks like Cole Palmer will now be out for at least a few weeks, after breaking down early in last week's game when trying to play through his troublesome groin problem. Chelsea will also be without defender Tosin, who's been a rock for them so far; he's picked up a calf injury which is likely to sideline him for a few weeks. Chelsea are getting stretched at the back, with Wesley Fofana suffering an apparent concussion in the Cup game against Lincoln on Tuesday, Josh Acheampong missing that game with illness, and Benoit Badiashile apparently still some way off full match-fitness, we might see Marc Cucurella or Reece James moved into central defence.

Noni Madueke picked up a knee injury in last week's City game, and it's rumoured that he could be out for up to two months.

Emi Martinez is a doubt for Villa, after having to miss Thursday's Europa tie against Bologna with a minor problem.

Fulham's Brazilian winger Kevin is a doubt after injuring his shoulder midweek against Cambridge (though he hasn't yet been a regular starter anyway).

Liverpool;s new back-up central defender Giovanni Leoni unfortunately picked up an ACL injury in the League Cup game against Southampton, and could be unavailable for the rest of the season - not that many people had even heard of him, much less considered him as a potential FPL pick.

Douglas Luiz had to come off in Forest's Europa game against Real Betis with a hamstring problem. Postecoglou hopes it's not serious, but it will keep him out of contention this weekend. (And Murillo is apparently still hobbling after that kick on the shin a couple of weeks ago....)

Pape Sarr missed the League Cup tie against Doncaster because of a thigh problem, but that is said to have been 'precautionary' and he might feature against Wolves on Saturday.

Do we have any players who are dropped, or not looking likely to get the starts we hoped for?

Hugo Ekitike misses this weekend after picking up a second yellow card in the Cup Tie against for his goal celebration (Slot was not pleased!!),

Also banned for collecting 2 yellow cards in the League game last weekend is United's Casemiro. Amad Diallo will also be missing this week, owing to a family bereavement. However, Diogo Dalot and Matheus Cunha are apparently fit to start again, so maybe he would have been omitted anyway.

Sunderland's Mozambican right-back Reinildo (a popular budget squad-filler choice in FPL, with 6.7% ownership) is starting a three-match ban after being sent off for retlation against Matty Cash last Saturday. 

Thomas Soucek is serving the second part of his three-game ban for 'serious foul play' against Spurs a fortnight ago.

Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez is available, having served his one-match ban for getting sent off against Manchester United in the League Cup round this week (a bit harsh anyway, as it wasn't really a 'denial of a goalscoring opportunity', as it was called - although it might have been 'serioius foul play'!).

Loanee Facundo Buonanotte is ineligible to represent Chelsea against parent club Brighton this weekend (a pity, since he miight have been favourite for a start in Palmer's absence).

Did anyone give other cause to consider dropping them?

With Cole Palmer out, and so many absentees at the back that the defence is starting to look like a Swiss cheese, Chelsea assets are looking like a 'sell' at the moment - although you might hang tough, as they do have a very nice little fixture-run coming up after next week's daunting home game against Liverpool.

Did anyone play so well, you have to consider bringing them in immediately?

Nobody stood out that much in a very drab round of League matches last weekend, but Brighton's Paraguyuan midfielder Diego Gomez is strongly expected to gett a start now after a superb showing in the League Cup demolition of Barnsley (he scored 4 times, the first 2 absolute screamers).

Forest striker Igor Jesus also impressed in midweek with 2 goals against Real Betis, but veteran Chris Wood might still be preferred against the likely stubborn defence of Sunderland.

BEST OF LUCK, EVERYONE!