REPORT‼️‼️‼️The recent international break has left several Premier League clubs grappling with injury concerns as they prepare to resume domestic competition.
Arsenal faces significant setbacks with key players sidelined. Captain Martin Ødegaard suffered a sprained ankle while representing Norway against Austria and is expected to be out for approximately three weeks, missing crucial fixtures including the North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur. Additionally, defender Riccardo Calafiori sustained a calf injury during Italy’s victory over France, casting doubt on his availability for upcoming matches. These injuries compound Arsenal’s woes, with midfielder Declan Rice suspended and summer signing Mikel Merino still recovering from a shoulder injury.
Liverpool also contends with midfield challenges. Harvey Elliott is sidelined for approximately six weeks after breaking his foot during training with the England Under-21 team. While Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones are hopeful of returning from minor fitness issues, Elliott’s absence will be felt as the Champions League campaign begins.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has expressed concern over the mounting injury list, noting that “players can’t deal any more with this overload.” Defender Lisandro Martinez has been ruled out until the end of the year, bringing the total number of United absentees to eight.
Chelsea tops the injury table with ten players unavailable, including Christopher Nkunku and Wesley Fofana (both with serious knee injuries), and Reece James and Ben Chilwell suffering from hamstring and thigh problems, respectively.
Manchester City has also been affected, with defender Nathan Aké stretchered off during the Netherlands’ draw against Germany, sidelining him indefinitely with a muscle injury. Additionally, John Stones is out with a thigh injury, and Rodri has suffered a torn ACL, further depleting City’s defensive options.
Nottingham Forest faces midfield concerns as Morgan Gibbs-White missed England duty due to an ankle injury sustained at Chelsea and is not expected to return against Crystal Palace. Fellow midfielders Ibrahim Sangaré and James Ward-Prowse will also be sidelined, with the latter serving a one-match ban after a red card at Stamford Bridge before the international break.
As the Premier League resumes, clubs will need to navigate these injury challenges to maintain their competitive edge in the demanding
season ahead.
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