Gianni Buttice
FPL expert and eight-time top-50k finisher

Image source, Getty Images

Mike: I'd like to cover Liverpool attack, but keep Palmer as a differential. What do you think of Enzo to Mac Allister with one free transfer? Or just roll and save the transfer? Used Wildcard early.

Gianni: I think you’re right to cover the Liverpool attack Mike and if you can get to Ekitike you should. I know Mac Allister scored at the weekend, but for a similar price you get Szoboszlai who, with Wirtz out, is playing as the number 10. He’s not only been Liverpool’s best player this season but he always plays 90, takes set pieces and is often 10-15 yards higher up the pitch than Mac Allister.

Here is a look at some of the major team news for the gameweek, starting with those who have been ruled out of this set of fixtures:

• Brentford - Nelson, Janelt, Hickey, Dasilva, Milambo, Carvalho
• Bournemouth - Kluivert, Soler, Gannon-Doak, Cook
• Everton - Coleman, Alcaraz, Grealish
• Burnley - Broja, Cullen, Beyer, Tuanzebe, Tresor, Roberts, Amdouni
• Leeds - Okafor
• Sunderland - Mukiele, Brobbey, Ta Bi, Mundle, Cirkin, Reinildo
• Liverpool - Wirtz, Isak, Endo, Bradley, Leoni
• Chelsea - Neto, Lavia, Gittens, Estevao, Colwill
• Aston Villa - Elliott, Kamara, McGinn, Tielemans
• Brighton - Webster, Szimas
• Arsenal - White, Merino
• West Ham - Pablo, Potts
• Fulham - Kevin
• Nottingham Forest - Boly, John, Savona, Wood, Ortega
• Manchester City - Guardiol, Kovacic
• Newcastle - Krafth, Guimaraes, Schar, Miley
• Manchester United - Dorgu, De Ligt, Mount, Martinez
• Tottenham - Bentancur, Bergvall, Davies, Kudus, Kulusevski, Maddison. Odobert, Udogi
• Crystal Palace - Doucoure, Lerma, Mateta, Nketiah

Gianni Buttice
FPL expert and eight-time top-50k finisher

Image source, Getty Images

Will: In preparation for blank GW 31, would you prioritise transferring out blanking players - e.g. O'Reilly - or shoring up the bench?

Gianni: Ordinarily yes, but at the same time our Man City and Arsenal players have been excellent assets of late and really don’t have to be sold just yet. I am holding O’Reilly and Rice, for example, as they have good form and fixtures. Sure, sell them in Gameweek 31 but not until then, when their ceiling is so high.

Thomas Woods
BBC Sport FPL writer, best finish 9,100th

Stuck for ideas? Check out BBC Sport's Team of the Week below.

It is selected based on current FPL prices to fit within a £100m budget, as if you were playing a Free Hit...

A reminder to get those questions in for our FPL expert Gianni this afternoon.

Plenty have already been getting in touch, but there’s still time to fire over your questions. Gianni will be with us right until 17:00 GMT, helping you tackle all those tricky decisions ahead of Gameweek 29.

And remember, the deadline to pick your team is 18:00 this evening.

Gianni Buttice
FPL expert and eight-time top-50k finisher

Image source, getty

Tim: I have Rice, Wilson, O'Reilly and Haaland in my FPL team - all injury doubts. What do I do?

Gianni: Whilst Arteta and Guardiola didn’t give us much, I thought their updates were fairly positive on Rice, O’Reilly and Haaland. I have the same trio and I’m starting all three. Silva’s update on Wilson didn’t tell us much either, but he did give Anderson the all-clear so I would be a tad worried about a Wilson start. Nevertheless, I would keep and start him in hope. If he’s injured, it’s unlikely he makes the bench and gets you a one-point cameo.

Gianni Buttice
FPL expert and eight-time top-50k finisher

Daniel: What players are bankers for these midweek games? Would you suggest a wildcard at this stage?

Gianni: If you can save that Wildcard to form part of your wider chip strategy then do - the blanks and the doubles are coming! I will likely dead end my team to the blank of Gameweek 31 and then wildcard in Gameweek 32 ahead of what should be a double in Gameweek 33, where I plan to Bench Boost. Gameweek 34 will likely be a blank gameweek where I will look to Free Hit. Bankers this midweek is a tough one. Are there ever bankers in FPL? Haaland if fit feels close to that and I expect City to be comfortable vs Forest.

Image source, Getty Images

Erling Haaland's injury status is the big talking point this week - Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said in his news conference that he will decide how the Norway striker responds to today’s training session before making a call on his availability.

If City are without their talismanic forward then that £15m or so is going to burn a hole in FPL managers' pockets.

The three big-money midfielders - Mohamed Salah, Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka - have all underwhelmed this season, so who would you move the cash to?

FPL expert Gianni Buttice is on hand to answer your questions and provide some food for thought.

Premier League

Here's a reminder of those all-important match-ups:

Tuesday, 3 March

• Bournemouth v Brentford
• Everton v Burnley
• Leeds v Sunderland
• Wolves v Liverpool (20:15)

Wednesday, 4 March

• Aston Villa v Chelsea
• Brighton v Arsenal
• Fulham v West Ham
• Man City v Nottm Forest
• Newcastle v Man Utd (20:15)

Thursday, 5 March

• Tottenham v Crystal Palace (20:00)

With the first round of the Premier League's latest fixtures kicking off tonight (Tuesday) at 19:30 GMT, the deadline for FPL is 18:00 GMT.

That is in less than three hours' time!

Gianni Buttice is an FPL expert and best-selling author of the book: "Fantasy Premier League: Unlocking the Secrets to a Top 1% Finish."

He has only finished outside the top 100k three times in the past 14 seasons and has eight top-50k finishes.

Gianni runs an FPL YouTube channel, is a regular on the Official Fantasy Show, Sky Sports News FPL show and has appeared on the BBC's Fantasy 606 podcast.

He has 55k followers on X, 37k on YouTube and more than 800k likes on TikTok.

Image source, Premier League

Thanks Adwaidh.

That might be all we have from this afternoon's Premier League news conferences, but between now and 17:00 GMT, we will turn our focus to the Fantasy Premier League ahead of Gameweek 29.

And today, we have our expert, Gianni Buttice, on hand to answer your questions regarding your FPL team.

So click 'Get Involved' to submit your questions to Gianni now.

That's a wrap from all the news conferences from the Premier League today.

And it was dominated by the Premier League's set-piece obsession debate after Liverpool boss Arne Slot said yesterday that his "football heart doesn't like it" and most Premier League games are no longer a "joy to watch".

• In his news conference this morning, Fabian Hurzeler criticised Arsenal saying the league leaders "sometimes spend one minute to take a corner if they are leading.
• But Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta responds saying "I am upset we haven't scored more" goals from corner kicks and that teams are adapting to the game.
• Manchester United interim boss Michael Carrick says grappling during set-pieces has "gone too far" and that "it doesn't feel like we've got the balance right."

• Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, wouldn't be drawn on the grappling aspect but said "set-pieces have started to be important."

Here are also all the team news we have collected from the managers today:

• Arsenal midfielder Rice 'much better'
• Haaland to be assessed after missing Man City win at Leeds
• Newcastle's Woltemade doubtful to face Man Utd
• Ayari 'an option' for Brighton
• Shaw and Maguire need 'bit of time'
• Emery provides McGinn update

Premier League

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal remain firm favourites to win a Premier League title since 2003-04 this season after Sunday's crucial 2-1 win against Chelsea, according to the Opta supercomputer.

With nine games remaining of their campaign, the Gunners have collected 64 points to maintain a five-point lead at the top. But Manchester City, in second place, have a game in hand.

However, Opta still gives Mikel Arteta's side a 84.04% probability of becoming champions this season with Pep Guardiola's City given only a 15.88% chance.

They project Arsenal to finish with an expected points of 82.77 with City almost six points short (77.16) come the end of the season.

The dust has barely settled on the weekend's Premier League action.

It's a quick turnaround for all of the teams this week but Arsenal and Manchester City are more than used to this flow of games.

The Gunners ticked off one of their harder games of their run-in with the win over Chelsea on Sunday with games against Manchester City and Newcastle, on 18 and 25 April, standing out.

That game against City at the Etihad will be the final league fixture Mikel Arteta's side will play outside London, with their final five fixtures all played in the capital.

City have back-to-back fixtures against Chelsea and Arsenal to look forward to in April and they will also host Aston Villa on the final day of the season on 24 May.

The two sides also meet in the Carabao Cup final on 22 March.

Image source, Getty Images

There are four Premier League matches to come later today.

And we are entering the business end of the league campaign with leaders Arsenal only nine games away from securing a much-awaited title.

But Manchester City are not giving up without a fight.

Here's how the Premier League table is looking like ahead of the midweek's fixtures.

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery: "We are in a no good moment. Every day is the opportunity to try to recover confidence, and recover our energy, recover our good form we had every day."

"We are not scoring goals, is not only the responsibility for the striker. Is for the team. It's my responsibility, how I can improve things."

"We have enough players to keep our consistency... and to feel comfortable with the players we have. And I believe, of course, even though we are not achieving it. I continue believing in them."

Aston Villa

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery says they “need another leader” in John McGinn’s absence and stresses others stepping up.

"We have to transmit our energy and to connect with them. It starts with us. We need Villa Park tomorrow. It is not 'Super John McGinn' but we need 'Super Aston Villa'."

He has two main striker options in the form of Ollie Watkins and Tammy Abraham.

“We need another leader, we need both strikers. And we need both strikers playing at their best and feeling comfortable."

Aston Villa

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery on team news before his side face Chelsea: “John McGinn is, course, very important, but he's not [available] for tomorrow, and he's probably getting better.”

But he hopes to have him back to play against LOSC Lille.

Aston Villa

That’s all from Mikel Arteta for now.

Next up, we turn our attention to Unai Emery and Aston Villa, who face Chelsea in a match that could have major implications for both sides’ Champions League qualification hopes.