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14 Premier League sides featured in the EFL Cup this week, with Spurs’ game postponed due to their Europa League qualifier yesterday. Fantasy Managers kept a watchful eye on these games, hoping their key assets either didn’t feature or made it through unscathed!
Don’t forget to check out our Game-week 3 Fantrax and FPL player picks articles, as well as our Rate My Teams piece.
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Saturday
This is our one early match that should provide confirmed lineups in the hour before the Fantrax deadline.
A weakened Brighton side made it through in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, their key players having been rested. Yves Bissouma continues his suspension after his straight red against Newcastle. Tariq Lamptey is a slight doubt after picking up a knock last week. Dale Stephens has now left the Seagulls on a move to Turf Moor. Man Utd were victorius in the EFL Cup on Tuesday. Maguire and Wan-Bissaka featured at the back; Fernandes, Rashford and Greenwood came off the bench (and the latter two added to the scoresheet). The Red Devils have no fresh injury concerns.
The Eagles have no fresh injury concerns as they look to record three consecutive wins in the league. Everton ran riot at Fleetwood Town on Wednesday, with Richarlison grabbing a brace and DCL featuring also. The Toffees also have no fresh injury concerns. This is an enticing fixture between two sides who have been in fine form in the league.
West Brom were much changed as they went out of the EFL Cup on Tuesday following a penalty shootout defeat at the hands of Brentford. Exciting prospect Grady Diangana came off the bench to feature for 20 minutes. Hal Robson-Kanu bagged himself a brace, but is now a doubt with a muscle injury. The Baggies have no other new injury concerns.
Chelsea featured on Wednesday night, thrashing Championship side Barnsley 6-0. New boy Kai Havertz impressed with a hattrick, whilst Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell made their Blues debuts, the latter coming off the bench for 25 minutes. Chelsea have no new injury concerns, with Ziyech, Pulisic and Gilmour without a return date.
A rotated Burnley side featured in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, beating Millwall 2-0. Jay Rodriguez looks set for a spell on the sidelines after coming off in the 16th minute with an ankle issue (he was replaced by Chris Wood). James Tarkowski still looks doubtful to make his return from injury with Ben Mee, Jack Cork and Ashley Barnes all still out. Robbie Brady is a slight doubt, picking up a rib injury last week. Southampton have no injury concerns, with the exception of Nathan Redmond who remains sidelined with an ankle injury.
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Sunday
Blades centre-half John Egan will sit this one out following his red card last week. Chris Wilder’s men have no other injury concerns, with the exception of Lys Mousset, who remains out with a toe injury. The Blades will be hoping to get off the mark in terms of both goals and points after a poor start to the season. Leeds, who are scoring for fun at the moment (as well as conceding plenty), may be without midfielder Pablo Hernández who picked up a groin injury in game-week 1. The West Yorkshire side have no other new injury concerns.
Tottenham vs Newcastle
Spurs’ form man Son Heung-Min scored in Thursday’s Europa League qualifier win and added two assists. Harry Kane was also on the score-sheet after coming on for the last half hour. Blast from the past Gareth Bale is out for a month with a knee-injury, and new signing Sergio Reguilón is a slight doubt due to match fitness.
Newcastle were much changed for their 7-0 EFL Cup demolition of Morecambe on Wednesday, captain Jamal Lascelles getting on the scoresheet. Defender Jamal Lewis and Midfielder Allan Saint-Maximin will face late fitness tests due an eye injury and hamstring complaint respectively.
The Citizen’s fielded a weakened side (relatively speaking) in Thursday’s win over Bournemouth in the League Cup. Phil Foden starred whilst Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling came off the bench for a run out for the last half hour. Aymeric Laporte is still struggling to regain fitness, and Eric Garcia looks doubtful with a head injury. Sergio Aguero, Bernardo Silva, and Ilkay Gündogan won’t return till October.
A much-changed Leicester side were knocked-out of the Cup by Arsenal on Wednesday. Jonny Evans is struggling to make it back in time for this one with a thigh injury, whilst Ndidi and Pereira remain out with longer term injuries.
The Hammers are fresh from a convincing 5-1 Victory over Hull City (EFL Cup) on Tuesday, resting their key players. Issa Diop is out after contracting COVID-19, and Mark Noble will be hoping to make his return from a toe injury that was sustained in Game-week 1. Manager David Moyes is also out due to COVID-19.
A weakened Wolves side were knocked-out of the EFL Cup by Stoke City, with Jiminez, Podence and Neto reduced to cameo appearances. Recent signing Fernando Marçal is a slight doubt after coming off in the early stages of game-week 2.
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Monday
The Cottagers have a clean bill of health, unscathed after their EFL Cup victory over Sheffield Wednesday. Fantasy Managers will be pleased that hitman Aleksandar Mitrović was rested for this one. Aston Villa also have no fresh injury concerns, victorious in their EFL fixture yesterday despite resting their key players.
Liverpool vs Arsenal
Liverpool rested all their key players (with the exception of Virgil Van Dijk, who played a half) for the mid-week EFL cup win over Lincoln Town. Jordan Henderson and Joe Gomez are slight doubts for this fixture, the former having came off at halftime in Game-week 2.
The Gunners have no fresh injury concerns following their solid win over Leicester in the EFL Cup on Wednesday. They will be hopeful that stalwart defender Kieren Tierney will return from the groin injury that kept him out of last week’s derby against West Ham. This is an exciting fixture, with both sides in form.
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Are you concerned by your assets featuring mid-week? Or are you encouraged by their form and performances? What changes are you looking to make for this game-week? Please let us know in the comments below!
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