Injuries are not usually the only factor that determines a team’s form, but they do have a big impact on the squads available to managers. This season, Premier League clubs have been hit by a number of injuries, which has had a big impact on the form of teams, especially those in the title race.
According to data from Premier Injuries, teams that play in multiple competitions are more prone to injury due to their busy schedules and high intensity of play. Man City, Man United and Chelsea have played the most games since the start of the season (18 games) but the severity of their injuries varies.
Chelsea have only six injured players, each missing an average of four Premier League games. In contrast, Man City have had to deal with 11 injuries, the most serious of which is Rodri (torn anterior cruciate ligament), which will keep the Spanish star out for the rest of the season.
Key players like Kevin De Bruyne, Nathan Ake and John Stones have also missed a number of games. Pep Guardiola's preference for compact squads with high-quality players is becoming a major problem, forcing him to make 26 changes in 11 games, the second highest in the league.
Man United are not doing much better with 12 injuries, including long-term cases such as Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia and Leny Yoro. The absence of two key left-backs forced them to adjust their squad but the results were not very positive. This also contributed to Erik ten Hag's dismissal, although it was not necessarily the only reason.
Brighton have been the worst hit side with 19 injuries. Solly March has not played a game this season, while Matt O’Riley and Joao Pedro have missed eight and six games respectively. However, the Seagulls have maintained their position in the top flight thanks to the depth of their squad after a strong summer transfer window.
In contrast, some teams such as Fulham, Liverpool and West Ham have had the fewest injuries. Fulham recorded just 4 cases and have taken advantage of a stable squad to reach 7th place in the rankings. Liverpool have also not had too many difficulties with only 7 injuries, mainly from the reserve players.
The number of injuries is not only a reflection of the difficulty of the teams, but also their ability to adapt and make the most of their strength. Brighton, despite facing the most difficulties, have faced all the teams in the "Big Six" group at the beginning of the season and have still achieved impressive results. Meanwhile, Wolves, the team with the second most difficult schedule, have major problems in defense after losing key centre-back Yerson Mosquera to a knee injury.
In total, Premier League clubs have suffered 209 injuries, resulting in more than 750 missed games since the start of the season. Hamstring problems account for more than 20% of all injuries (48), followed by knee injuries (27).
High pressing teams like Tottenham and Brighton tend to suffer more hamstring injuries due to the high intensity of play, with ankle injuries and muscular problems also contributing significantly to the list.
Injuries have been and are creating huge challenges for teams. However, this also shows the careful calculations and preparations of the club's management to deal with unexpected problems during the season.
