Jurgen Klopp's side sustained most injuries out of all Premier League clubs; Liverpool and Man Utd currently have nine players sidelined; There have been 33 coronavirus-related absentees this season; Muscle injuries up 17 per cent
Wednesday 2 December 2020 10:33, UK
The injury lists keep growing as the games keep coming - but to what extent has the condensed schedule played a part?
There has been a 20-per-cent increase in injuries or illness and a 17-per-cent spike in soft-tissue muscular strains during the first 10 rounds this season, compared with the same period last term, according to Premier Injuries.
However, the total increase in lay-offs is slashed to just a two-per-cent rise when coronavirus-related cases are removed, suggesting the pandemic itself has affected squad availability more than the resulting congested schedule.
Liverpool's defence has been decimated by injuries, facing Leicester with nine players sidelined last weekend - compounded with goalkeeper Alisson missing the 1-0 win over Ajax and set to miss two weeks with a thigh injury.
But Manchester United now also have a league-topping nine absentees. including Luke Shaw, Alex Telles, Paul Pogba, Scott McTominay, David de Gea, Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard, Eric Bailly and Phil Jones.
In terms of significant injuries resulting in a lay-off of 10 days or more this season, Liverpool have suffered more than any other club with 20 to date - three more than the next hardest-hit club, Burnley.
The graphic below shows the number of absentees at each club by matchday, revealing early-season crises at Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Newcastle and the recent spates at Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle.
There were 52 absentees going into the first round of fixtures but that total has averaged at 77 since - peaking at 83 going into matchday nine.
The congested schedules have almost certainly contributed to the 17-per-cent rise in muscular injuries - which are considered more likely to occur when workloads are increased.
Premier League clubs have played 269 games across all competitions this season - nine more than the total played up to, and including, matchday 10 last term.
As of Wednesday morning, European commitments have contributed to Tottenham and Liverpool playing a league-topping 18 games, followed by Arsenal (17), Chelsea and Manchester City (both 16).
EFL clubs voted to allow teams five substitutions per match in all Sky Bet EFL fixtures, taking place from November 20 for the remainder of the 2020/21 season.
But the Premier League is not expected to reintroduce the five-substitute rule this season - despite some strong support from at least half of its clubs.
Sky Sports News surveyed 18 of the 20 teams and, while eight say they are still against it, 10 are in favour, with two of those having changed their mind on the issue in recent weeks.
However, a rule change needs 14 votes to pass and the issue has already been voted down twice at recent meetings - and Premier League chief executive Richard Masters told MPs on Tuesday: "I don't see it changing for the foreseeable future."
England's top flight is the only major league in the world not using the new five-sub rule, and there are mixed feelings on the issue throughout the division.
Top managers including Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho support the advent of having five subs available - and they were backed up by the PFA, who want the rule introduced on health and safety grounds.
It is bemusing, perhaps, why Guardiola supports the five-sub rule but has used only two per game this season, on average - only Aston Villa and Burnley have used fewer.
But 17 or the 20 teams have averaged more than 2.4 subs per game - suggesting the majority of clubs would utilise a rule change, if implemented.
However, there is an argument fostered by some managers, such as Sheffield United's Chris Wilder, that allowing five subs would benefit the bigger teams with deeper squads.
England manager Gareth Southgate has also called on the Premier League to revisit their rules regarding substitutions.
"We were able to make five changes against Belgium - we made four in the end - and clubs don't have that option," Southgate said. "What will it take for that to change? There were a couple of less serious injuries against Belgium but what do we do? Wait until we get a load of really nasty ones?"
Southgate, who is also unhappy at the lack of a winter break this season, said England had taken measures to try and help players recover physically but he worries the issue will persist if something is not done soon.
"I have to be fair to the club managers. They are their players firstly and they have the right to play them as they see fit," he added.
"[Injuries are] a worry in the longer term because with no winter break, something has to give."
Gary Neville has questioned Jurgen Klopp's gripes about fatigue and kick-off times, claiming it's all about gaining a psychological edge like Sir Alex Ferguson.
Klopp was involved in a heated exchange with BT Sport following his side's 1-1 draw at Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday lunchtime, which saw James Milner go off injured for the Reds.
The Liverpool boss has repeatedly spoken out against the hectic schedule and the Saturday lunchtime kick-off slot.
However, Neville - speaking on Monday Night Football - feels Klopp is implementing the same psychological tactics as his former boss Ferguson regularly displayed during his 27-year reign as Manchester United. To Neville, Klopp's spikey post-match comments are just a way to gain a little extra advantage over his rivals.
He said: "I don't think Jurgen Klopp's got a point around fatigue, around the length of time of pre-season or about the Saturday kick-offs.
"My view is that when you become a winning manager, and this is where Sir Alex got to and why they called him a whinging so and so for many years, the best managers, they just want to win.
"The biggest risk to Klopp winning the league again this season is another big injury or two. So, he wants to try and gain that advantage to put some psychological thing into people's minds. Sir Alex Ferguson did it for 15 or 16 years."
