After an international break full of the usual knocks, withdrawals and scares, it’s time for our early Gameweek 6 team news article to cut through the noise.

With some nations playing four matches in this bumper break, there are even more injury updates to report.

Hopefully, the pre-match press conferences on Thursday and Friday can clear up a few of these concerns.

Until then, this initial round-up provides an overview of all 20 Premier League clubs.

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Click on the hyperlinks below to jump to each club:

ARSENAL

Let’s start with the positive updates from the Gunners camp.

Cristhian Mosquera (muscle) and Ben White (groin) have both trained over the break, as has Piero Hincapie. The Ecuadorian defender was actually in the Arsenal squad in Gameweek 5, as an unused substitute, but had been dealing with niggles before that, and didn’t join up with his national team.

William Saliba (back) has also been on the grass, with L’Equipe suggesting he is targeting an early-November playing return.

As for the not-so-good news, Christos Tzolis and Kai Havertz seem to be the main concerns from the internationals. Both suffered hamstring injuries over the break, with a three-week absence estimated for the Greek winger. That would put him out until around Gameweek 8. Havertz’s issue is also thought to rule him out for “weeks”.

Meanwhile, Ezri Konsa suffered what is being reported as a “dead leg” while playing for England on Saturday. He exited the England camp on Monday. While an impact injury is not too serious, it’s still not clear whether he’ll be fit for Gameweek 6.

A knock is also what Max Dowman picked up for England under-19s, while Declan Rice pulled out of duty with the senior team early in the break. Load management was widely cited as the reason.

ASTON VILLA

The good news for Villa is that Brian Madjo (ankle), Pau Torres (hamstring), Marco Bizot (back) and Alysson (unspecified) all featured in a mid-season kickabout with Sevilla last Friday. Madjo has been missing since pre-season, with the other three more recent absentees.

Leon Goretzka (knee) didn’t feature and still awaits his Villa debut, but he has trained over the break. So too has rookie Modo Cisse (unspecified), another recent absentee.

It’s been reported that Matty Cash only picked up a dead leg while playing for Poland on Monday, so his absence – if there is one – should be short.

Amadou Onana (knee) is expected to miss most, if not all, of 2026/27. Ian Maatsen (ankle) will also remain out for another few weeks.

BOURNEMOUTH

The Cherries suffered a huge blow over the break, with Alex Scott picking up a tendon injury. Estimates over the length of his absence vary from 6-8 weeks, but it’s unlikely we’ll see him before the November internationals.

David Brooks also pulled out of the Wales squad at the end of September. We await an update on his prognosis.

The break came at a good time for Gameweek 5 absentee Justin Kluivert (muscle). He’ll likely not be back this weekend but he shouldn’t be out for much longer than that.

As for the existing medium-term absentees, Veljko Milosavljevic (knee), Amine Adli (calf), Eli Kroupi (foot) and Julian Araujo (thigh), they should return in that order. We’ll see if Gameweek 6 comes too soon for Milosavljevic, but he was already running before the break. We’re likely looking at late October/early November for Kroupi.

BRENTFORD

Hitherto first-choice centre-half pairing Sepp van den Berg (knee) and Nathan Collins (calf) had been earmarked for returns after the international break, but exactly when they’ll be back is another question. Van den Berg has been on the grass since late August, so there’s hope he won’t be too far away.

Mathias Jensen (unknown) and Josh Dasilva (hamstring) had missed the final games before the break with injuries described as “nothing serious”, so those two may make a reappearance soon.

None of those players had a mention in the match report for last Friday’s mid-season friendly, but we didn’t get a full teamsheet for that one.

Elsewhere, Antoni Milambo (knee) has featured for the B team over the last few weeks as he builds fitness following a year out. Kaye Furo (knee) is still absent.

There are two new issues to report from the internationals, too.

Dango Ouattara missed Burkina Faso’s matches due to illness, while Mikkel Damsgaard (ankle) returned early from Denmark.

BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION

Fabian Hurzeler said going into the break that he hoped Femi Azeez (hamstring), Jack Hinshelwood (unspecified) and Yankuba Minteh (leg) would be close for the Sunderland game. We know that Azeez has since trained.

Summer signing Zadok Yohanna, who had a “small issue”, had also been given time until after the internationals “to adapt to the Premier League’s… different intensity and different demands.”

Evan Ferguson (ankle), Kaoru Mitoma (hamstring) and Stefanos Tzimas (knee) are all thought to remain out, while Mats Wieffer (knee) has been sidelined since August. He’s another Seagull who was loosely pencilled for a return after the September/October hiatus.

Lewis Dunk looks set to return from a stiff neck, while Hurzeler didn’t think the hamstring issue that forced Pascal Struijk off in Gameweek 5 was serious.

Brighton appear to have emerged from the various international fixtures unscathed, although Yasin Ayari missed the last two Sweden games due to illness.

CHELSEA

While Marco Palestra (quad) is set to make his long-awaited return from injury in Gameweek 6, there’s plenty of uncertainty about Chelsea’s other crocked players.

There’s been no recent update from the Blues, while Xabi Alonso has proven to be next-to-no-use when it comes to injury bulletins in his press conferences, so we don’t have much hope for this week’s presser.

The Standard seem more confident on Moises Caicedo (calf), Cole Palmer (muscle) and Reece James (hamstring) being available than Joao Pedro (knee), though how much of that is just educated guesswork and not genuine ‘in the know’ info is another question.

None of those four was pictured in Wednesday’s training gallery but, as we suspect from experience, club photographers are often told not to snap injury doubts, to keep the opposition guessing.

Emmanuel Emegha (hamstring), who hasn’t featured at all this season, did train.

Elsewhere, Jamie Gittens returned home early from England under-21 duty after a knock to the ankle.

COVENTRY CITY

Haji Wright (quad) and Aurele Amenda (calf) will remain out, while Taiwo Awoniyi serves the final game of a three-match domestic ban.

Luke Woolfenden (knee), Josh Eccles (calf), Kaine Kesler-Hayden (hamstring) and Milan van Ewijk (hamstring) are all expected back, although back-up defenders Woolfenden and Kesler-Hayden may be short of match fitness after missing the start of 2026/27.

Another defensive reserve, Joel Latibeaudiere, may be a fresh concern after missing the last of Jamaica’s Nations League games.

CRYSTAL PALACE

Dean Henderson (ankle) and Jean-Philippe Mateta (hamstring) were aiming for returns after the September/October break but didn’t feature in a mid-season friendly against Bristol City on Saturday, leaving some lingering doubt about their involvement in Gameweek 6.

Takehiro Tomiyasu, who suffered what was thought to be a minor calf issue in Gameweek 5, also didn’t play.

There’s a new concern with Anan Khalaili, who limped out of Israel’s match with Kosovo last Thursday. His national team boss said the wing-back’s hamstring was “a bit sensitive”, so it doesn’t sound too bad.

Chadi Riad (knee) is out long term, while Axel Disasi continues to serve a three-game ban.

EVERTON

Christian Norgaard (groin) made his first appearance in Everton colours over the break, featuring in a friendly last Friday. He had returned to training in the week before that kickabout.

Merlin Rohl, missing since Gameweek 3 with a minor issue, is back on the grass and aiming for a Gameweek 6 return, too.

That means the only real concern is Vitalii Mykolenko (leg), who exited the Ukraine camp early after just one appearance.

FULHAM

Tom Cairney (knee), who has missed the first five Gameweeks, seems to be on track to return after the September/October international break as planned. He has trained over the last fortnight.

The Cottagers should also get Kenny Tete back, as he only missed out in Gameweek 5 due to concussion.

HULL CITY

Jack Butland (shoulder) remains on the medium-to-long-term injury list. So too do Darko Gyabi (thigh) and Elliot Matazo (knee) but those two, along with Óscar Zambrano, aren’t in the 25-man Premier League squad anyway.

Ilyas Ansah (back) and Tim Iroegbunam (groin) are also expected to miss out in Gameweek 6.

Nobel Mendy is back from a concussion, at least, while Brooke Norton-Cuffy (hamstring) should similarly make a swift comeback after missing out in Gameweek 5.

Hidemasa Morita (adductor) and Charlie Hughes (groin) were aiming for a return to training over the international break, although the latter may be behind his teammate, given his length of absence. Matt Targett (ankle) could also return.

Elliot Stroud exited the Sweden camp at the end of September with illness, so we await an update on him.

IPSWICH TOWN

Central midfielder Jack Taylor (knee), who underwent post-season surgery in May and has been sidelined since, is closing in on a return. He featured in a behind-closed-doors mid-season friendly last week and then got an hour in Tuesday’s EFL Trophy match with Peterborough.

Abdul Fatawu serves a one-match ban in Gameweek 6, following his red card last time out.

LEEDS UNITED

Joe Rodon (hamstring) and forgotten man Mateo Joseph (knee) remain on the sidelines for the Whites.

There’s a new concern in the form of young winger Jean-Matteo Bahoya, who withdrew from the France under-21 squad with an ankle injury. The extent of that issue is not yet known.

Daniel Farke previously said that he hoped Harry Wilson (quad) would be fit on the other side of the current international break.

LIVERPOOL

Liverpool lost both Cody Gakpo (ankle) and Alexander Isak (quad) to injury over the break. Reports in the Netherlands suggest Gakpo could be out for “weeks”, but this was not verified by Andoni Iraola in an interview this week. Sweden boss Graham Potter called Isak’s issue a “small problem”.

“I think Alex Isak and Cody Gakpo both have had to leave the national teams with injuries. Now it’s a matter of if they are going to recover in time to help us in the next game or not. But right now they are both injured.” – Andoni Iraola to BeIN Sports

Jeremy Jacquet was another casualty, missing France’s game with Belgium on Monday with a slight hamstring strain.

Long-term absentees Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Conor Bradley (knee) and, very likely, Giovanni Leoni (knee) also remain out, although the latter is closing in on a return this month.

Federico Chiesa could be back from a muscle issue.

MANCHESTER CITY

The first thing to address is Erling Haaland‘s early-ish substitution from Norway’s clash with Portugal on Sunday. As we previously reported, the striker requested to come off – but it seems to be more of a fatigue-led withdrawal than an injury.

Nico O’Reilly and Antoine Semenyo are perhaps more of a concern. The former exited England’s camp midway through the break for “further assessment”, while Semenyo cited a “swollen leg” as the reason for his exit from the Ghana squad.

Phil Foden serves the final game of a three-match ban in Gameweek 6.

MANCHESTER UNITED

Carlos Baleba, an unused sub in Gameweek 5 on his return from an ankle issue, got minutes under his belt in last Friday’s friendly with Lausanne.

The hush-hush nature of that kickabout, and the lack of images from it, means it’s not certain whether Amad Diallo (unspecified), Benjamin Sesko (calf) and/or Matthijs de Ligt (back) featured. There was a suggestion that de Ligt did, and the defender had indeed travelled with his teammates to Fulham in Gameweek 5, albeit not making in the 20-man matchday squad. The MEN suggests the Dutchman could be on the bench in the upcoming UEFA Champions League ties.

Elsewhere, Noussair Mazraoui (back) and Patrick Dorgu (hamstring) pulled out of their respective national team squads midway through the break. Karl Darlow, Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford had done likewise before a ball was kicked, with United saying they would “be assessed and undergo individual recovery plans”. It’s not known how serious any of their issues are.

Manuel Ugarte (knee) and Tom Heaton (hamstring) are also on United’s lengthy injury list.

NEWCASTLE UNITED

Nico Gonzalez (head) will almost certainly be back from a concussion, while Lewis Miley has reportedly been given the green light to train this week despite pulling out of the England under-21 squad.

Joelinton (foot), who has missed the first five Gameweeks, has also returned to training over the break.

Jacob Ramsey (thigh), Amar Dedic (hamstring), Anthony Elanga (unknown), Dan Burn (ankle), Will Osula (foot) and Tino Livramento (unspecified) were not pictured in training when Joelinton was, although we’ve had another eight days since then.

Goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen, only just back from an ankle issue, has suffered a hamstring injury over the break. He now reportedly requires surgery.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST

With Nikola Milenkovic (hamstring) making a playing return for Forest in a mid-season friendly against Swansea City, long-term absentee Nicolo Savona (knee) is the only known current casualty. Even he’s not too far away, although Forest are keen to progress slowly with the defender after a few setbacks. He was not pictured in team training in an open session last week.

SUNDERLAND

Dan Ballard and Brian Brobbey (both hamstring) are new concerns from the international break. There has been no official word about the severity of either issue but local media suggests Ballard’s injury is the more serious of the two, potentially keeping him out until Christmas. Regis Le Bris faces the media on Thursday to hopefully clarify those problems.

Noah Sadiki shook off an international break scare to feature for DR Congo in their final outing of the last fortnight.

Romaine Mundle (knee) remains on the sidelines but Reinildo is back, having served a one-match ban after his dismissal for two bookable offences in Gameweek 4. Le Bris was also hoping to have Habib Diarra (hamstring) available around Gameweek 6.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Dutch centre-halves Micky van de Ven (hand) and Jan Paul van Hecke (foot) picked up issues over the break, but the former’s injury doesn’t sound serious at all (“he’s okay”). Van Hecke suffered a foot problem during the Netherlands’ match against Serbia last Tuesday but he did actually take part, very briefly, in a training session the following morning. Reports suggest he lasted just seven minutes and retreated to the dugout after a chat with head coach Xavi. He then returned to Spurs for the duration of the break.

Mykhailo Mudryk (ankle), Xavi Simons (knee) and Wilson Odobert (knee) remain unavailable, but Dejan Kulusevski (knee) is inching closer to a return after nearly 18 months out and could be involved in a matchday squad this month.

Saturday’s clash with Manchester United may come too soon for Pedro Porro (hamstring).