Liverpool are undoubtedly in the midst of an injury crisis but the way some are going on it seems to have been forgotten that other clubs have suffered more.
Jurgen Klopp is without Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, Stefan Bajcetic, Dominik Szoboszlai, Thiago Alcantara, Curtis Jones, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Mo Salah heading into Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.
One player short of a fine crocked XI, their final training sessions before the Wembley trip will be interesting.
It is a monstrous selection of talent to be missing but the reaction feels a little disproportionate considering the problems other clubs have faced.
Brentford
It is faintly ludicrous that searching ‘Brentford injuries’ on Google seems to generate more results reporting on and bemoaning the additional problems Liverpool suffered in their recent Premier League win over the Bees, than the issues Thomas Frank has been contending with all season.
Curtis Jones, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez were all substituted due to injury in that game, with Mo Salah aggravating a problem of his own. Liverpool’s myriad issues were undeniably exacerbated but Brentford might feel a little aggrieved at just how easily their medical department’s burden has been overlooked.
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Frank said in December that Brentford’s injury struggles “go under the radar” and they have hardly abated since. Rico Henry has been out since mid-September. On the other side of defence, Aaron Hickey will similarly miss the rest of the season. Bryan Mbeumo and Kevin Schade both last played in December. Ethan Pinnock is currently sidelined in the latest of a long list of shorter term but perennial frustrations.
One Brentford player has been conspicuous by what was up until recently a season-long and season-damaging absence. That and his return has obfuscated just how much additional weight an already slim squad has lost.
Newcastle
Eddie Howe’s side sustained a similarly self-inflicted wound to their squad, but that is where the Ivan Toney and Sandro Tonali situations differ: shooting themselves in the foot has not even vaguely distracted from Newcastle’s numerous subsequent stubbed toes. That and Aston Villa’s title challenge were pretty much the only topics of conversation through December.
The Magpies have eight players in the treatment room with various ailments ranging from Callum Wilson’s pec to Joelinton’s thigh and Nick Pope’s shoulder. And that is a mild epidemic in comparison to previous outbreaks. Only Nottingham Forest (33) and Sheffield United (32) have used more players than Newcastle’s 31 this season and that is not entirely by design.
Kieran Trippier might just genuinely have lost count when he asked that supporter following defeat to Bournemouth in November: “How many injuries have we got?”. Enough for Matt Targett (hamstring) to get Champions League minutes.
During the most congested period of the season, when about two-thirds of all professional footballers seemed to be injured, no side was hit worse than Newcastle.
Newcastle were stitched up by a late penalty against PSG
Brighton
Roberto De Zerbi has had enough plates to spin at Brighton this season between the advent of European football and the constant stream of incredible unearthed gems foisted upon him, without even factoring in the various droppings the Seagulls have had to contend with.
Their most-used player in the Premier League this season, Pascal Gross with his 2,002 minutes, has played less football than his equivalent at every other top-flight club. And even he has missed a couple of matches with a muscle strain, which pales in comparison to the afflictions of most of his teammates.
Brighton were dealing with about five different knee injuries at one stage, with Julio Enciso and Solly March deep in the midst of extended absences. Chelsea’s scouts have been disappointed with the unavailability of Kauro Mitoma, Pervis Estupinan, Joao Pedro and many others at different points.
Even James Milner is out and around a fortnight away from this being the longest injury spell of his career. Definitely still winning the bleep test, though.
Chelsea
The Blues have likely already tried to poach the head of Brighton’s medical department and his next two pre-arranged successors, each of whom will at least be entirely familiar with the workload they would be expected to assume at Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool have an absurd injury list but any and all recent attempts to try and frame them as anything but favourites at Wembley rather ignores Chelsea’s own issues. Thiago Silva, Robert Sanchez and Carney Chukwuemeka are doubts among a half-dozen certain absentees.
Reece James is biannually broken, Romeo Lavia has played 32 minutes since joining for £58m, Wesley Fofana has endured roughly as many knee knacks as he has enjoyed wins at Chelsea and Christopher Nkunku, a puzzle piece this ridiculous jigsaw largely depended on, has not yet broken into his stride.
Their problems have certainly subsided in recent weeks but Chelsea could not buy a clean bill of health for ages and almost definitely tried.
Manchester United
“The injuries hold us back in the process,” Erik ten Hag said in December, predicting “our levels can be higher” when players started to return. An unbeaten start to the year suggests he might have had a point.
That form might well be threatened by the lack of an actual left-back. Jose Mourinho’s brain is nodding sagely somewhere at the latest breakdown of Luke Shaw’s body, with mystery surrounding Tyrell Malacia all season. The centre of Manchester United’s defence has shared the nursery rhyme-based burden: “minor issue”, (Raphael Varane), hamstring (Jonny Evans), groin (Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof), knee and foot (Lisandro Martinez).
Mason Mount has become an abstract concept. Casemiro flits seamlessly between injury, suspension and astonishment at being booked. Only eight Manchester United players have played 1,000 minutes – or 44.4% – of this Premier League season, which is the fewest of any team.
Ten Hag should have done far better this season but the extent to which Manchester United have been disrupted by injury cannot be overlooked.
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