Fancy a punt on one of your favourite teams this weekend? Perhaps you are planning big changes in your Fantasy Premier League squad? Make sure you take into account the injuries and suspensions which could wreak havoc with your plans.
Here, The Sportsman runs through all the confirmed and likely absences undermining each Premier League side ahead of the weekend’s matches.
Arsenal
Next match: Southampton (H), Saturday 11th December, 3pm
Confirmed absentees: Sead Kolasinac
Possible absentees: Folarin Balogun, Bernd Leno
Mikel Arteta should have young star Emile Smith Rowe back for selection after suffering with a groin issue last week as he missed the defeat against Everton.
Aston Villa
Next match: Liverpool (A), Saturday 11th December, 3pm
Confirmed absentees: Bertrand Traore (thigh), Leon Bailey (thigh), Danny Ings (hamstring)
Possible absentees: Trezeguet
Steven Gerrard travels to Anfield for the first time in his managerial career and he will not be pleased with the number of absentees he will have for the game.
Brentford
Next match: Watford (H), Friday 10th December, 8pm
Confirmed absentees: David Raya (five months), Kristoffer Ajer (two months), Josh Dasilva, Sergi Canos (suspended), Tariqe Fosu-Henry
Possible absentees: Mathias Jorgensen
The injury list at Brentford is hindering Thomas Frank’s ability to put a stamp on the Premier League like they did so early in the season.
Brighton
Next match: Wolverhampton Wanderers (H), Wednesday 15th December, 7:30pm
Confirmed absentees: Steven Alzate (ankle), Danny Welbeck (hamstring), Adam Webster, Lewis Dunk, Adam Lallana, Shane Duffy (suspended)
Possible absentees: Jeremy Sarmiento
Brighton’s game against Totteham Hotspur this weekend has been postponed.
Burnley
Next match: West Ham United (H), Sunday 12th December, 2pm
Confirmed absentees: Dale Stephens (unconfirmed), Ashley Barnes
Possible absentees: Phil Bardsley, Maxwel Cornet, Ben Mee
Sean Dyche will be hoping that Cornet will be available to face the Hammers.
Chelsea
Next match: Leeds United (H), Saturday 11th December, 3pm
Confirmed absentees: Ben Chilwell, N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Trevoh Chalobah, Jorginho
Possible absentees: Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Thomas Tuchel will be starting to get concerned about the growing list of injuries at Stamford Bridge, with almost all his midfielders out of action.
Crystal Palace
Next match: Everton (H), Sunday 12th December, 4:30pm
Confirmed absentees: James McArthur, Joachim Andersen
Possible absentees: Nathan Ferguson
The Eagles will be hoping that duo McArthur and Andersen will not be out of action for too long, as both have proved to be key figures for Patrick Vieira this term.
Everton
Next match: Crystal Palace (A), Sunday 12th December, 4:30pm
Confirmed absentees: Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Tom Davies, Salomon Rondon
Possible absentees: N/A
Rafa Benitez will be looking to build on the victory over Arsenal on Monday night but he will be hoping that star striker Calvert-Lewin will be available sooner rather than later.
Leeds United
Next match: Chelsea (A), Saturday 11th December, 3pm
Confirmed absentees: Rodrigo, Liam Cooper, Kalvin Phillips
Possible absentees: Patrick Bamford, Pascal Struijk
Marcelo Bielsa will be devastated to lose Bamford again after just coming back from injury, added with the loss of key midfielder Phillips.
Leicester City
Next match: Newcastle United (H), Sunday 12th December, 2pm
Confirmed absentees: Youri Tielemans, Wesley Fofana, James Justin
Possible absentees: Ricardo Pereira, Kelechi Iheanacho, Ayoze Perez, Ademola Lookman, Jannik Vestergaard, Daniel Amartey
Brendan Rodgers will look for an immediate response from his players after they were eliminated from the Europa League on Thursday.
Liverpool
Next match: Aston Villa (H), Saturday 11th December, 3pm
Confirmed absentees: Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, Harvey Elliott, Adrian
Possible absentees: Curtis Jones
Jurgen Klopp will be pleased with how his squad have managed with injuries so far this season.
Manchester City
Next match: Wolverhampton Wanderers (H), Saturday 11th December, 12:30pm
Confirmed absentees: Ferran Torres, Liam Delap
Possible absentees: Phil Foden, Gabriel Jesus, Aymeric Laporte
Manchester City have been proving time and again that injuries are never an issue as whoever fills in, always turns in a just as impressive performance.
Manchester United
Next match: Norwich City (A), Saturday 11th December, 5:30pm
Confirmed absentees: Paul Pogba, Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw, Edinson Cavani, Anthony Martial
Possible absentees: Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Ralf Rangnick will look to build on last week’s victory over Crystal Palace, but he will be hoping that defender Varane will be available for selection soon.
Newcastle United
Next match: Leicester City (A), Sunday 12th December, 2pm
Confirmed absentees: Paul Dummett
Possible absentees: N/A.
Eddie Howe will be delighted to have secured the Magpies’ first victory last time out, and he’ll look to take advantage of Leicester’s poor run of form.
Norwich City
Next match: Manchester United (H), Saturday 11th December, 5:30pm
Confirmed absentees: Sam Byram, Christoph Zimmermann, Milot Rashica, Mattias Normann
Possible absentees: Todd Cantwell
Dean Smith said several players could be out as a result of coronavirus, but would not disclose any names.
Southampton
Next match: Arsenal (A), Saturday 11th December, 3pm
Confirmed absentees: Stuart Armstrong, Jan Bednarek, Alex McCarthy, Fraser Forster, Oriol Romeu (suspended), Mohammed Salisu (suspended)
Possible absentees: Che Adams
Ralph Hasenhuttl could hand a debut to 40-year-old goalkeeper Willy Caballero who joined the club earlier in the week.
Tottenham Hotspur
Next match: Leicester City (A), Thursday 16th December, 7:30pm
Confirmed absentees: Cristian Romero, Dane Scarlett
Possible absentees: N/A
Spurs have suffered a covid outbreak and their game against Brighton this weekend has been postponed.
Watford
Next match: Brentford (A), Friday 10th December, 8pm
Confirmed absentees: Peter Etebo (long-term, Christian Kabasele, Kwadwo Baah, Ismaila Sarr, Adam Masina
Possible absentees: Ken Sema
Claudio Ranieri will be worried about the growing number of injuries in his squad but will be pleased with how his squad are managing with the absences.
West Ham United
Next match: Burnley (A), Sunday 12th December, 2pm
Confirmed absentees: Angelo Ogbonna, Kurt Zouma, Ben Johnson
Possible absentees: Andriy Yarmolenko, Nikola Vlasic, Aaron Cresswell
David Moyes will be looking ahead to the January transfer window as his defensive injury crisis worsens.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Next match: Manchester City (A), Saturday 11th December, 12:30pm
Confirmed absentees: Johnny Otto, Pedro Neto, Yerson Mosquera, Willy Boly
Possible absentees: Fernando Marcal, Ryan Ait-Nouri
If Ait-Nouri is out of Saturday’s game, then Wolves could be without a senior left wing-back in the side.
