England have had nine players pull out of international duty this week and that’s a pattern repeated across football as players are massively over-worked.
Many international footballers have played three major international tournaments in three years and then started the Premier League 24/25 season already fatigued.
That has led to unprecedented numbers of injuries, particularly as UEFA have added more European games to the calendar with the expanded ‘Swiss model’ competitions.
We have looked at the seven Premier League clubs competing in Europe this season and calculated how many top-flight games have already been missed by senior players through injury. And it’s only November.
Ranked from lucky Chelsea to ravaged Manchester United…
7) Chelsea: 15 games missed
Injured players: Malo Gusto, Reece James, Romeo Lavia and Jadon Sancho
They’ve had the luck of the (blue) devils this season with even Reece James making it onto the pitch for four Premier League games this season. Is their fortune about to run out? Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill, Malo Gusto and Wesley Fofana have all withdrawn from international duty this week. Though some would have you believe that is all the fault of Thomas Tuchel. Yes, even the Frenchmen. Blame the GERMAN.
6) Liverpool: 24 games missed
Injured players: Alisson, Federico Chiesa, Diogo Jota, Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones
Barring their goalkeeper – who has a very able deputy – Liverpool have been able to field pretty close to their first-choice XI over the first 11 games of the season, which has obviously helped them top the Premier League table. It’s hard to argue that they have missed Diogo Jota, with Darwin Nunez a £64m deputy.
A thigh injury to Trent Alexander-Arnold could potentially provide the first big test of the season, though Arne Slot has been consistent in giving minutes to Conor Bradley.
5) Aston Villa: 26 games missed
Injured players: Rodd Barkley, Matty Cash, Diego Carlos, Boubacar Kamara, Ezri Konsa, John McGinn, Tyrone Mings, Amadou Onana.
Barring Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara – who are arguably not first choice anyway – most of these injuries have been relatively minor, with Unai Emery putting such niggles down to the increase in football. Villa have already played 17 games this season and there are plenty more to come. Six players have started all 11 Premier League games and Jhon Duran has come on to finish 11 too.
4) Tottenham: 30 games missed
Injured players: Rodrigo Bentancur, Ben Davies, Wilson Odobert, Richarlison, Dominic Solanke, Heung-min Son, Djed Spence, Micky van de Ven, Timo Werner
Barring the lesser-spotted Odobert and Richarlison, most of these missed games have been short spells on the sidelines or have largely effected fringe players. Possibly the most troublesome has been the thigh injury suffered by Van de Ven; without his pace and class, Spurs fell to embarrassing defeat to Ipswich Town.
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3) Arsenal: 38 games missed
Injured players: Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel Jesus, Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White.
Aside from the epidemic of left-back injuries – note that we’re not even counting Kieran Tierney as a member of the first-team squad here – there is no doubt about the biggest injury loss for Arsenal this season. After the relative luck with injuries of the last two campaigns, the loss of Odegaard for seven games is one of several factors in the near-obliteration of their title chances.
He bowed out at the end of August and returned in November to an Arsenal side desperately needing a result against Chelsea to avoid full-blown crisis status. He delivered.
2) Manchester City: 42 games missed
Injured players: Nathan Ake, Oscar Bobb, Kevin de Bruyne, Ruben Dias, Jeremy Doku, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Rodri, John Stones, Kyle Walker.
It’s tricky for many to dredge up much sympathy for Manchester City but they have been robbed of the actual best player in the world for the majority of the season, while De Bruyne, Foden and Grealish have started only four Premier League games each. No title-chasing team should be forced to play Matheus Nunes on the left.
This is the greatest test of Guardiola as Manchester City manager; can he win the Premier League title without Rodri and with only one fit, in-form goalscorer? At the moment it is very much Advantage Liverpool.
1) Manchester United: 57 games missed
Injured players: Christian Eriksen, Jonny Evans, Rasmus Hojlund, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Kobbie Mainoo, Tyrell Malacia, Mason Mount, Luke Shaw, Leny Yoro.
That list includes three players who have not kicked a ball in anger for the Manchester United first team this season, while Mount has barely figured at all (though he should have more chances under Ruben Amorim). As doomed as Erik ten Hag became after failing to produce a consistent style of player for United in over two years, he was not helped by injuries in a stuttering campaign.
