Tottenham’s missing centre-backs, Pep Guardiola’s injury crisis and the impact of Martin Odegaard’s absence on Arsenal.
Player fatigue, fixture congestion and injuries have been among the primary narratives of the 2024-25 Premier League season so far.
But is the injury issue really that bad? And which team has it worst?
BBC Sport, with the help of data from website Premier Injuries, has taken a look at who has suffered most from injuries this season.
Injuries are actually down this season
Ben Dinnery, of Premier Injuries Ltd, outlined some of the numbers behind the injury data. As of 10 December 2024:
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Hamstring-related absence (53) accounts for almost a quarter of all injuries (24%) – and about 42% of all muscle injuries.
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Ankle/foot (34); knee (26); groin/pelvis (23) and calf/heel (21) – are the other repeat injury areas.
However, comparing the injury situation against the same stage last season, the overall numbers are actually down.
“Year-on-year there has been about a 20% reduction in the number of injury incidents and about a 30% reduction in the ‘burden’ on clubs – the amount of days missed by injured players,” says Dinnery.
His data is calculated from the opening day of the season, so players who were already injured going into the campaign – such as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries to Brentford’s Rico Henry, Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings and Brighton’s Solly March – do not count.
Dinnery says season comparisons are complicated by the impact of major summer tournaments as well as the December 2022 Qatar World Cup, but believes the data shows an overall “static” trend of muscle injuries – specifically hamstrings – in recent years.
“Perhaps the narrative [of an increase in injuries] is driven by some high-profile managers and the prominence of major injuries to higher-status players, such as Manchester City’s Rodri,” Dinnery says.
“City usually perform well on their injury burden and Pep Guardiola manages the squad really well.
“The injury narrative is not being pushed by Kieran McKenna at Ipswich or Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler.
“They are not using their sidelined players as excuses, even though Ipswich have lost some huge players as they try and adapt to the intensity and rigours of Premier League football.
“Brighton didn’t have a great record last year, but had European football to contend with. The headline numbers are one thing, but football is a contact sport. Perhaps it is testament to their recruitment of a squad with strength and depth that they are still doing well despite the number of injuries.”
