Romelu Lukaku’s midweek injury has left Thomas Tuchel in a dilemma. He is now set to be out for 4-6 weeks with an ankle injury and will miss the next few Premier League fixtures, but it isn’t just Tuchel that needs to be armed with this information. FPL managers up and down the country now have big decisions to make, while this injury information can also come in handy for those of us looking to place a bet this weekend.
Ahead of this weekend’s Premier League round of fixtures, we have taken a look at every club’s current injury issues.
Arsenal
Next match: Aston Villa (H), Friday 22nd October, 8pm.
Confirmed absentees: Granit Xhaka (two months)
Possible absentees: Bukayo Saka (late fitness test)
Mikel Arteta has given an update on Englishman Bukayo Saka ahead of Friday’s match. "He hasn’t trained yet, so again we have to assess him today and see how he is," he said in his pre-match press conference. "It is down to the doctors and himself to see how he recovers and how he feels when he trains today and tomorrow.
Aston Villa
Next match: Arsenal (A), Friday 22nd October, 8pm.
Confirmed absentees: Trezeguet (several months). Carney Chukwuemeka (unconfirmed)
Possible absentees: Keinan Davies
Dean Smith has been boosted this week by the return of Bertrand Traore, Leon Bailey and Matty Cash. Davies is also back in training but could miss out on this one, while Traore and Bailey must build-up their match fitness before getting back into the starting XI.
Brentford
Next match: Leicester (H), Sunday 24th October, 2pm
Confirmed absentees: Yoann Wissa (one week), Josh Dasilva (unconfirmed), Shandon Baptiste (two months), Mads Sorenson (long-term)
Possible absentees: Vitaly Janelt
Thomas Frank has a couple of long-term injury issues in Dasilva and Sorenson but he could welcome back Janelt for the visit of Leicester this weekend. Meanwhile Wissa won’t be fit this weekend, but could return on the 28th October.
Brighton and Hove Albion
Next match: Manchester City (H), Saturday 23rd, 5.30pm
Confirmed absentees: Steven Alzate (long-term), Danny Welbeck (long-term)
Possible absentees: Adam Webster (late fitness test)
Alzate and Welbeck surgeries come a blow to Graham Potter but he has received a boost on Webster. "Adam has been training this week, he's had a good week. There's an outside chance he'll be available."
Burnley
Next match: Southampton (A), Saturday 23rd, 3pm
Confirmed absentees: Dale Stephens (one month)
Possible absentees: Matej Vydra, Ben Mee, Charlie Taylor (all late fitness test)
Sean Dyche will hope to rely on his squad in this relegation battle as Mee, Taylor and Vydra all face late fitness tests. Burnley have three matches this week but this is the most important in their season so far, so expect all three to push through.
Chelsea
Next match: Norwich (H), Saturday 23rd, 12.30pm
Confirmed absentees: Romelu Lukaku (one month), Timo Werner (unconfirmed)
Possible absentees: Christian Pulisic
Chelsea’s midweek match against Malmo couldn’t have gone worse from an injury perspective as Werner pulled his hamstring and Lukaku injured his ankle. There is positive news on Pulisic however, who despite suffering a slight set-back this week, is in full contact training once again.
Crystal Palace
Next match: Newcastle (H), Saturday 23rd, 3pm
Confirmed absentees: Ebere Eze (back in training), Nathan Ferguson (long-term)
Possible absentees: None.
It is all good news for Patrick Vieira as Wilfried Zaha has overcome the illness that ruled out of the draw at Arsenal and Ebere Eze is edging closer to a return. He will miss this one, but is back in training.
Everton
Next match: Watford (H), Saturday 23rd, 3pm
Confirmed absentees: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (several weeks), Abdoulaye Doucoure (long-term)
Possible absentees: Richarlison, Andre Gomes, Fabian Delph
It has been a bad week of injury news for Rafa Benitez as DCL suffered a setback and Doucoure suffered a stress fracture. The good news is that Richarlison, Delph and Andre Gomes are all on the brink of a return, potentially this weekend.
Leeds United
Next match: Wolves (H), Saturday 23rd, 3pm
Confirmed absentees: Robin Koch (six weeks), Luke Ayling (four weeks), Junior Firpo (four weeks), Patrick Bamford (two weeks)
Possible absentees: Kalvin Phillips
Leeds are in the middle of a mini injury crisis with Bamford and Ayling confirmed to miss the next two matches. Phillips is close to a return but Koch and Firpo remain out.
Leicester City
Next match: Brentford (A), Sunday 24th, 2pm
Confirmed absentees: Wesley Fofana (long-term), James Justin (six weeks), Wilfried Ndidi (three weeks),
Possible absentees: Ayoze Perez, Youri Tielemans, Timothy Castagne
Leicester’s midweek win in the Europa League saw Castagne and Tielemans both injured as the former missed out due to a hamstring tweak. Those two are now doubtful while Brendan Rodgers still has to contend with long-term injuries.
Liverpool
Next match: Manchester United (A), Sunday 24th, 4.30pm
Confirmed absentees: Harvey Elliott (long-term), Thiago (unknown)
Possible absentees: Curtis Jones.
Not much to report for Liverpool, except Jones should be back in contention at Old Trafford.
Manchester City
Next match: Brighton (A), Saturday 23rd, 5.30pm
Confirmed absentees: Ferran Torres (three months), Liam Delap (unknown)
Possible absentees: None.
Pep Guardiola’s only concern is the fact that Torres is out until the new year.
Manchester United
Next match: Liverpool (H), Sunday 24th, 4.30pm
Confirmed absentees: Raphael Varane (two weeks), Anthony Martial (one week),
Possible absentees: Fred, Marcus Rashford, Amad Traore
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s midweek win over Atalanta saw Fred limp off with a hamstring injury which puts him at risk of missing this one. Martial is back in training but not fit enough to make the squad and Rashford is suffering with a dead leg.
Newcastle United
Next match: Crystal Palace (A), Saturday 23rd, 3pm
Confirmed absentees: Jonjo Shelvey (suspended), Paul Dummett (one month)
Possible absentees: Freddie Woodman, Martin Dubravka
Two keepers could return for managerless Newcastle this weekend as Dubravka has been training with the side but they will be without Shelvey after his red card.
Norwich City
Next match: Chelsea (A), Saturday 23rd, 12.30pm
Confirmed absentees: Billy Gilmour (parent club), Sam Byram (two weeks), Christoph Zimmermann (long-term),
Possible absentees: Przemyslaw Placheta and Todd Cantwell (match fitness)
Norwich will be without their long-term absentees and Gilmour, who cannot face his parent club. Meanwhile Cantwell is back in training after his injury but has work to do to get back into the matchday squad.
Southampton
Next match: Burnley (H), Saturday 23rd, 3pm
Confirmed absentees: James Ward-Prowse (suspended), Jack Stephens (three months)
Possible absentees: Che Adams
Ward-Prowse is suspended after his red card but Adams is on the brink of a return for the Saints in this relegation six-pointer.
Tottenham Hotspur
Next match: West Ham (A), Sunday 24th, 2pm
Confirmed absentees: Matt Doherty (unknown), Ryan Sessegnon (two months)
Possible absentees: None.
Nuno Espirito Santo will have to help his squad recover from their Thursday night match before this London derby, but seems to have no new injuries to deal with.
Watford
Next match: Everton (A), Saturday 23rd, 3pm
Confirmed absentees: Peter Etebo (long-term), Christian Kabasele (long-term), Nicolas N’Koulou (three weeks), Francisco Sierralta (two weeks),
Possible absentees: Kiko Femenia (late assessment)
The one big positive for Watford is that Josh King is back fit for this match, while Femenia is getting close to a return.West Ham United
West Ham
Next match: Tottenham Hotspur (H), Sunday 24th, 2pm
Confirmed absentees: Alex Kral (Covid-19)
Possible absentees: Ryan Fredericks, Vladimir Coufal.
Tomas Soucek is back, after having stitches in his face and Mark Noble is also ready to go after a hip issue. Coufal has been carrying an injury so is likely to miss this one.
Wolves
Next match: Leeds (A), Saturday 23rd, 3pm
Confirmed absentees: Jonny Otto (long-term), Pedro Neto (long-term), Yerson Mosquera (long-term), Hugo Bueno (long-term)
Possible absentees: None.
Trincao is back having recovered from illness, and Bruno Lage confirmed he had been double vaccinated. Elsewhere, only long-term absentees are out of the trip to Leeds.
