Liverpool lost players to injury or illness for the most days
REVEALED: Liverpool top the charts for losing players to injury or illness for the most days at a whopping 1,032 while tonight’s rivals Chelsea are the Premier League’s least-affected at 279 days… but who else has missed stars for the biggest period?
- Liverpool’s fitness issues have been relentless this season with multiple injuries
- Champions have actually missed star men for a staggering 1,032 days this term
- Crystal Palace, Newcastle and Southampton also badly affected by setbacks
- Chelsea have been most fortunate when it comes to players out on the sidelines
It’s official. Liverpool have suffered the worst injury crisis of all 20 Premier League clubs so far this season, with players sidelined for a total of 1,032 days.
The Reds left back, Andy Robertson, has claimed ‘no team in the world’ could cope with the amount of injuries Liverpool have sustained this term – and it looks like he has a point.
Liverpool are well ahead of their nearest rivals at the top of the injury table, with second-placed Crystal Palace trailing them with a total 864 days, 168 behind.
Liverpool have been without star men, like Virgil van Dijk, for 1,032 days due to injury or illness
And as Liverpool take on Chelsea tonight in a crucial game, which will shape the battle for a Champions League place come the end of the season, it is a case top versus bottom.
Chelsea’s players have racked up the least number of injury days in the top flight so far this term, with just 279 recorded – 753 less than their northern rivals – in the data compiled by Premier Injuries.
In contrast, Liverpool’s fitness issues have been relentless.
Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip, Fabinho, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson Becker, Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alcantara, James Milner and Diogo Jota have all endured or are still undergoing lengthy spells on the treatment table.
Centre back Joe Gomez suffered a long-term injury this season and is building strength back
Chelsea have been least-affected by setbacks but were without Kai Havertz (L) due to Covid and are currently without centre back Thiago Silva (R)
As well as the long-term injury setbacks the Merseyside giants had several players suffer from Covid during the first half of the season. Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Thiago, Xherdan Shaqiri and Naby Keita all tested positive for the virus.
In comparison, Chelsea, who sit one point above Liverpool in fourth place in the Premier League, lost £89m summer addition, Kai Havertz, to coronavirus earlier in the season, while wingers Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic have struggled with niggles throughout the campaign. The Blues are currently without centre back Thiago Silva.
So, while Liverpool are the runaway injury league leaders, how have other clubs fared in such a congested campaign?
Crystal Palace, who held Manchester United to a goalless draw on Wednesday night, are comfortably the second most affected side with players out for 864 days, 101 ahead of Newcastle on 763 days.
The Eagles are currently without nine players – including the likes of Wilfried Zaha, James Tomkins and James McArthur – while Magpies boss Steve Bruce is without seven players as he tries to steer them away from the relegation zone.
Newcastle suffered a huge blow when £20m summer signing Callum Wilson sustained injury
Southampton, without a victory in nine league games, have missed players for 711 days
Newcastle suffered a huge blow when £20m summer signing Callum Wilson was ruled out for eight weeks last month while Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin joined him on the sidelines this week.
Southampton, without a victory in nine league games, have missed players for 711 days while basement boys Sheffield United complete the top five with 686 days when some players have been unable to play.
As for the traditional ‘Big Six’, Arsenal are the second-most fortunate club at only 357 days with their north London rivals Tottenham, ranked 15th overall, impacted by 436 days.
Leaders Manchester City, who are clear at the top of the Premier League by 14 points and have huge strength in depth, sit eighth in the injury rankings, missing players for 606 days.
Crystal Palace are the second-most affected side behind Liverpool when it comes to injuries with players out for 862 days with star man Wilfried Zaha currently on the sidelines
Leicester, Burnley, Leeds and Brighton join City in the top 10 most-affected top-flight clubs. The Foxes currently have the joint-highest amount of players on the sidelines with nine out, meaning their 683 days will increase significantly.
Harvey Barnes joined the likes of James Justin, James Maddison, Wesley Fofana, Ayoze Perez and Jonny Evans after being ruled out for six weeks following a knee injury in their 3-1 defeat against Arsenal.
Sean Dyche’s side, six points above the dreaded drop zone, have had players out for 673 days, Leeds, currently without seven players, have missed stars for 564 days and Brighton for 560 days.
Man United are seventh least affected side in the top flight but have been without Paul Pogba
West Brom with 557 and Everton with 540 are 11th and 12th, respectively.
Manchester United have been without players for a total of 496 days while West Ham, who have enjoyed a sensational season and currently occupy fourth place in the Premier League, are behind United in 14th with 473 days.
Wolves, Aston Villa and Fulham complete the five least-affected Premier League sides when it comes to missing players for the biggest period. Wolves, who are still without star striker Raul Jimenez following a fractured skull in November, have been missing players for 431 days.
Villa, who were forced to close their training ground in January after a huge Covid outbreak, have only seen players on the sidelines for 428 days while Fulham, who could move out of the relegation zone with a win at Spurs tonight, have lost their players for a combined 416 days.
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