Premier League health check after cup competitions as Liverpool suffer huge blow
The Premier League is back this weekend - but not all of its stars will return to action.
As ever, the hectic festive fixture schedule, FA Cup third-round ties and Carabao Cup semi-finals have only increased the risk of players getting injured, with all 20 sides facing issues. There was bad news this week for both Liverpool and West Ham, with the latter losing pivotal playmaker Lucas Paqueta for four weeks, while forward Jarrod Bowen is also set for spell on the sidelines.
Meanwhile, Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to be ruled out for three weeks with a knee injury. But it's not just bumps and bruises which leave bosses depleted this weekend, as the Africa Cup of Nations and Asia Cup kick off next week in the Ivory Coast and Qatar respectively.
Here, Mirror Football takes a lot at all 20 teams' absentees before their managers speak to the media.
Arsenal - 7
Ruled out: Jurien Timber (knee), Fabio Vieira (groin/hip/pelvis), Thomas Partey (thigh), Mohamed Elneny (AFCON), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Asia Cup)
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Doubtful: Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf/shin/heel), Gabriel Jesus (knee)
Aston Villa - 7
Ruled out: Emiliano Buendia (knee), Tyrone Mings (knee), Lucas Digne (thigh), Robin Olsen (knock), Bertrand Traore (AFCON)
Doubtful: Pau Torres (ankle), Youri Tielemans (calf/shin/heel)
Bournemouth - 11
Ruled out: Tyler Adams (thigh), Hamed Traore (illness), Marcos Senesi (suspended), Lloyd Kelly (thigh), Milos Kerkez (ankle), Ryan Fredericks (calf), Darren Randolph (illness) Dango Ouattara (AFCON), Antoine Semenyo (AFCON)
Doubtful: Dominic Solanke (knock), Adam Smith (knock)
Brentford - 11
Ruled out: Rico Henry (knee), Ivan Toney (suspended), Bryan Mbeumo (knee), Aaron Hickey (thigh), Kevin Schade (hip), Ben Mee (suspended), Christian Norgaard (ankle) Yoane Wissa (AFCON), Frank Onyeka (AFCON) , Saman Ghoddos (AFCON)
Doubtful: Kristoffer Ajer (ankle)
Ivan Toney can return from his FA ban on January 17 (JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)Brighton - 8
Ruled out: Joel Veltman (knee), Julio Enciso (knee), Tariq Lamptey (thigh), Ansu Fati (thigh), Karou Mitoma (ankle), Simon Adingra (thigh), Solly March (knee)
Doubtful: Igor Julio (knock)
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Burnley - 5
Ruled out: Luca Koleosho (knee), Hjalmar Ekdal (knee)
Doubtful: Charlie Taylor (shoulder), Jordan Beyer (thigh), Lyle Foster (ankle)
Chelsea - 12
Ruled out: Wesley Fofana (knee), Reece James (thigh), Marc Cucurella (ankle), Romeo Lavia (thigh), Robert Sanchez (knee), Nicolas Jackson (AFCON), Lesley Ugochukwu (thigh), Trevoh Chalobah (thigh)
Doubtful: Benoit Badiashile (knock), Ben Chilwell (thigh), Carney Chukwuemeka (knee) Christopher Nkunku (groin/hip/pelvis)
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Mauricio Pochettino is being handicapped by injuries (AFP via Getty Images)Crystal Palace - 7
Ruled out: Cheick Doucoure (calf/shin/heel), Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (thigh), Joel Ward (thigh), Rob Holding (ankle), Michael Olise (thigh), Jordan Ayew (AFCON)
Doubtful: Sam Johnstone (calf/shin/heel)
Everton - 5
Ruled out: Dele Alli (groin), Ashley Young (knock), Dwight McNeil (ankle), Idriss Gueye (AFCON)
Doubtful: Abdoulaye Doucoure (thigh)
Fulham - 4
Ruled out: Adama Traore (thigh), Calvin Bassey (AFCON), Fode Ballo-Toure (AFCON), Alex Iwobi (AFCON)
Doubtful: Tim Ream (calf/shin/heel)
Liverpool - 9
Ruled out: Joel Matip (knee), Stefan Bajcetic (knock), Thiago Alcantara (groind/hip/pelvis), Konstantinos Tsimikas (shoulder), Andrew Robertson (shoulder), Trent Alexander-Arnold (knee), Mohamed Salah (AFCON), Wataru Endo (Asia Cup)
Doubtful: Dominik Szoboszlai (thigh)
Trent Alexander-Arnold will be a huge miss for Liverpool (Getty Images)Luton - 6
Ruled out: Marvelous Nakamba (knee), Issa Kabore (AFCON)
Doubtful: Tom Lockyer (cardiac arrest), Reece Burke (thigh), Dan Potts (thigh, Carlton Morris (calf/shin/heel)
Manchester City - 6
Ruled out: John Stones (ankle), Bernardo Silva (illness), Scott Carson (illness), Kalvin Phillips (illness)
Doubtful: Manuel Akanji (knock), Erling Haaland (ankle)
Manchester United - 13
Ruled out: Lisandro Martinez (ankle), Casemiro (thigh), Mason Mount (calf/shin/heel), Sofyan Amrabat (AFCON), Tyrell Malacia (knee), Victor Lindelof (groin/hip/pelvis), Harry Maguire (groin/hip/pelvis), Jadon Sancho (set to join Borussia Dortmund)
Doubtful: Luke Shaw (knock), Christian Eriksen (illness), Amad (illness), Antony (thigh), Anthony Martial (illness)
Newcastle - 10
Ruled out: Sando Tonali (suspended), Nick Pope (shoulder), Matt Targett (thigh), Jacob Murphy (shoulder), Harvey Barnes (ankle), Callum Wilson (calf/shin/heel), Joe Willock (calf/shin/heel), Elliot Anderson (back),
Doubtful: Joelinton (thigh), Javier Manquillo (groin/hip/pelvis)
Newcastle are stilling dealing with an injury crisis (PA)Nottingham Forest - 10
Ruled out: Taiwo Awoniyi (groin), Felipe (thigh), Anthony Elanga (knock), Ibrahim Sangare (AFCON), Ola Aina (AFCON), Moussa Niakhate (AFCON), Cheikhou Kouyate (AFCON), Willy Boly (AFCON), Serge Aurier (AFCON)
Doubtful: Divock Origi (groin/hip/pelvis)
Sheffield United - 11
Ruled out: Chris Basham (ankle), Max Lowe (knock), John Egan (ankle), Tom Davies (thigh), Daniel Jebbison (illness), Yasser Larouci (AFCON), Anis Ben Slimane (AFCON)
Doubtful: Jayden Bogle (face), George Baldock (knock), Anel Ahmedhodzic (knock), Auston Trusty (knock),
Tottenham - 12
Ruled out: Ivan Perisic (knee), Alejo Veliz (knee), Cristian Romero (thigh), Manor Solomon (knee), James Maddison (ankle), Ryan Sessegnon (thigh), Yves Bissouma (AFCON), Pape Sarr (AFCON), Heung-min Son (Asia Cup), Eric Dier (groin/hip/pelvis)
Doubtful: Ben Davies (thigh), Giovani Lo Celso (knock)
Heung-min Son will star for South Korea at the Asia Cup (VINCE MIGNOTT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)West Ham - 7
Ruled out: Lucas Paqueta (calf), Michail Antonio (knee)
Doubtful: Jarrod Bowen (ankle), Konstantinos Mavropanos (knock), Vladimir Coufal (knock), Mohammed Kudus (AFCON), Nayef Aguerd (AFCON)
Wolves - 6
Ruled out: Joao Gomes (suspended), Jonny (personal reasons), Mario Lemina (family bereavement), Hwang Hee-Chan (Asia Cup), Rayan Ait-Nouri (AFCON), Boubacar Traore (AFCON)
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