Our early Gameweek 26 team news round-up brings you an injury overview of all 20 Premier League clubs.
We’ll be back with two more articles of this ilk on Thursday and Friday when the pre-match press conferences take place.
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ARSENAL
The attacking quartet of Gabriel Jesus (knee), Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Gabriel Martinelli (hamstring) and Kai Havertz (hamstring) will remain out this weekend and beyond.
Jesus and Havertz are sidelined for the season, while the latest suggestion is that Mikel Arteta hopes to have Saka and Martinelli back after the March international break.
In defence, Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) has been ruled out for the rest of the season and beyond. The Japan international had further corrective surgery this week, with his rehab “expected to be completed towards the end of this year”.
ASTON VILLA
Despite being described as “close” to being available ahead of the game, Ezri Konsa (muscle) and Leon Bailey (calf) missed out on Wednesday’s clash with Liverpool.
Matty Cash (muscle) did return to the matchday squad as a substitute, however.
Boubacar Kamara (hamstring) was a new addition to the injury list last weekend after limping off against Ipswich Town.
Kamara joined Pau Torres (foot), Ross Barkley (calf) and Amadou Onana (unknown) on the sidelines for the second half of Double Gameweek 25.
One other Villan will definitely miss out in Gameweek 26: loanee Axel Disasi is ineligible to face his parent club.
BOURNEMOUTH
The Cherries are slowly getting bodies back after a horrendous run of injuries.
Firstly, James Hill (hamstring) could return in Gameweek 26 or 27. He was partly in training a week ago.
Julio Soler should also be available after the South American U-20 Championship came to a close.
Evanilson (foot), Adam Smith (muscle), Enes Unal (knee), Julian Araujo (hamstring) and Marcos Senesi (quad) remain on the sidelines for the Cherries.
It sounds like Smith should be back for Gameweek 28, however, if not sooner.
BRENTFORD
Sepp van den Berg is a concern after limping out of the West Ham United victory with a knee issue. His manager was “hopeful” it was nothing serious but couldn’t tell us much so soon after full-time.
Josh Dasilva (knee) and Gustavo Nunes (back) remain on the longer-term injury list for the Bees.
Igor Thiago (joint infection) and Rico Henry (hamstring) are on the grass this week but Thomas Frank said last Friday that the pair are “a bit away”.
Aaron Hickey (hamstring) is now in full training but after more than a year out, Frank wants the full-back to have a virtual “pre-season” before being considered for a playing return.
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
Solly March (muscle) was back in training a week ago so, after Gameweek 25 came too soon, there’s a chance he could be involved against Southampton.
There is potentially good news incoming about Pervis Estupinan (muscle), too, after he was spotted in a midweek training gallery.
The latest update is awaited on Lewis Dunk (ribs), who missed out in Gameweek 25 after picking up an injury in the FA Cup a week earlier.
James Milner (hamstring), Ferdi Kadioglu (toe), Igor Julio (hamstring) and Jason Steele (shoulder) are on the longer-term injury list.
CHELSEA
Romeo Lavia (muscle), Marc Guiu (hamstring) and Nicolas Jackson (hamstring) remain out until April at the earliest.
Meanwhile, Noni Madueke joined the injury list last Friday with a hamstring issue that will rule him out for “a while”.
And Mykhailo Mudryk remains provisionally banned by the Football Association.
It might be March before we see Wesley Fofana (hamstring), despite his return to training last week. Enzo Maresca said ahead of the Brighton and Hove Albion game that he needs “two or three weeks” to get fully fit.
Another medium-term absentee, Benoit Badiashile (muscle), was in the vague “process” of returning ahead of Gameweek 25.
CRYSTAL PALACE
Chadi Riad and Cheick Doucoure are out for the season with knee injuries.
Joel Ward‘s availability is unknown, meanwhile: he has been sidelined since late 2024 with an unspecified issue.
EVERTON
Abdoulaye Doucoure is back from suspension after picking up a one-match ban when being dismissed after the Merseyside derby.
Armando Broja (ankle), Iliman Ndiaye (knee), Seamus Coleman (calf), Dwight McNeil (knee), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (hamstring), Nathan Patterson (hamstring) and Orel Mangala (knee) were all on the injury list ahead of Gameweek 25 – and it sounds like they may remain there until after the March break.
Youssef Chermiti (thigh) was back on the grass at the end of January with a view to playing within 3-4 weeks, so he might be the first one back.
FULHAM
Reiss Nelson (hamstring), Kenny Tete (knee) and Harry Wilson (foot) remain on the Fulham injury list. None of them are expected back before April.
Sasa Lukic is a concern after hobbling off against Nottingham Forest last weekend. Marco Silva hoped it was just fatigue.
IPSWICH TOWN
Wes Burns (knee), Chiedozie Ogbene (Achilles) and Christian Walton (groin) are all on the medium-to-long-term injury list.
But Conor Chaplin (knee) could return to training this week. Sammie Szmodics may also be fit: he missed out in Gameweek 25 but the recurrence of his ankle injury wasn’t serious.
The Tractor Boys were hit by three new blows either before or during the draw with Aston Villa.
Leif Davis (unknown) and Sam Morsy (abdominal) missed the clash at Villa Park with minor-sounding issues.
Julio Enciso departed that match early in tears after suffering a knee injury. Reports suggest a scan has returned relatively good news but he remains a major Gameweek 26 doubt.
Axel Tuanzebe will miss the visit of Tottenham Hotspur through suspension.
LEICESTER CITY
Ruud van Nistelrooy has gone early with his Gameweek 26 presser, facing the media on Wednesday.
The Dutchman revealed that James Justin (foot) isn’t seriously injured after picking up an issue last weekend. He does remain a big doubt for Friday’s clash with Brentford, however.
Ricardo Pereira (hamstring) is close to coming off the long-term injury list, meanwhile.
“James Justin is a question mark for [Friday’s] game. He hasn’t been able to be a part of team training, so it will probably be difficult to make Friday’s game.
“It’s not really bad. He’s been assessed, of course, and looked after. It looks more a question of weeks than [anything] more.
“Other than that, Ricardo Pereira is making good progress in his comeback. He’s part of team training. So hopefully, in the coming weeks, that can be more and he can be part of games as well.” – Ruud van Nistelrooy
Abdul Fatawu (knee) remains out for the Foxes.
LIVERPOOL
Joe Gomez (hamstring) will remain sidelined for “numerous weeks”.
Tyler Morton (shoulder) is also out, while Conor Bradley (muscle) looks set to join those two on the injury list. The Northern Ireland international, himself on as a second-half substitute, came off clutching his leg in the 2-2 draw with Aston Villa.
“It is difficult but he felt a bit when he made a sprint. He tried to continue but had to go out. All the time with injuries, I always say if a player wants to go out himself, that’s not a promising sign. It will probably lead to the fact he is probably 99.9 per cent not available for City and I don’t expect him against Newcastle as well. Then we have to see if it’s one or two weeks or if it’s going to be even longer.” – Arne Slot on Conor Bradley, speaking on Wednesday
The other injury concern is Cody Gakpo (ankle), who missed the whole of Double Gameweek 25. Arne Slot said on Tuesday that his compatriot was “close to being back”.
Curtis Jones returned from suspension in midweek.
MANCHESTER CITY
Rodri (knee) and Manuel Akanji (groin) will be out for some time yet, while Oscar Bobb (leg/ankle) remained on the sidelines for the midweek loss in Madrid. Bobb had returned to training after a lengthy lay-off but reportedly suffered a minor ankle issue that has delayed a playing comeback.
That was it on the injury front heading into Wednesday’s game but City soon suffered another blow when John Stones limped out of the contest early on. An update is awaited on him.
Erling Haaland, who was in discomfort with his knee in the closing stages of Saturday’s win over Newcastle United, made the squad in Spain but remained an unused substitute.
“Apparently with the images we have done he is fine but it was discomfort walking and when, for example, with the stair. We spoke yesterday this morning, he said, ‘I’m not ready, I don’t feel good, I’m not ready’.” – Pep Guardiola on Erling Haaland
MANCHESTER UNITED
Amad Diallo (ankle) is out for the season, while Kobbie Mainoo (calf) is set to be sidelined for “weeks”.
A threadbare United were also without Leny Yoro, Christian Eriksen, Manuel Ugarte and Toby Collyer in the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. Yoro and Eriksen were only ill, at least, so could potentially be back this week.
Lisandro Martinez (knee) is on the long-term injury list, while Jonny Evans (back) and Mason Mount (hamstring) haven’t been seen since December. Luke Shaw (hamstring) had been on the cusp of a return before yet another setback.
Goalkeepers Altay Bayindir and Tom Heaton missed the FA Cup tie against Leicester City and didn’t show in Gameweek 25. Heaton was expected to make an instant return but didn’t.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Jamaal Lascelles (knee) and Joelinton (knee) remain out until March.
A scan showed that Sven Botman (knee) avoided serious injury but pain prevented him from featuring at the Etihad last Saturday.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Taiwo Awoniyi (nose/concussion) and Carlos Miguel (hamstring) both missed Gameweek 25 with issues picked up in the FA Cup four days earlier.
Nuno Espirito Santo hopes to have Awoniyi back for the trip to Newcastle United.
SOUTHAMPTON
Long-term absentees Juan Larios (unknown) and Ross Stewart (hamstring) were still sidelined for last week’s defeat to Bournemouth.
Jack Stephens (calf) and Taylor Harwood-Bellis (ankle) also missed out after picking up issues in Gameweek 24.
Stephens could be back this week, however.
Another recent absentee, Ryan Fraser (calf), said in the last few days that he hopes to be available soon.
Adam Lallana was struggling with a hamstring injury ahead of the loss to the Cherries and sat the game out.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Radu Dragusin (knee) is out for the season, while Saturday will likely come too soon for Micky van de Ven (hamstring), Dominic Solanke (knee), Cristian Romero (hamstring) and Richarlison (calf).
Timo Werner (hamstring) could be the next Lilywhite to return, as he was “getting pretty close to being available” as of last Friday.
Kevin Danso, Son Heung-min and Rodrigo Bentancur picked up knocks in Gameweek 25 but should be fine.
WEST HAM UNITED
Niclas Füllkrug (hamstring), Crysencio Summerville (hamstring) and Michail Antonio (leg) are definitely out this weekend.
Vladimir Coufal is also a big doubt after sitting out the defeat to Brentford with a hamstring issue.
Lucas Paqueta (ankle) is the newest concern, with reports suggesting he could be out for weeks.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS
Jorgen Strand Larsen (muscle) should be back against Bournemouth having returned to training last weekend.
Sam Johnstone and Emmanuel Agbadou are concerns, meanwhile. They both “felt something”, the former ahead of the Liverpool game and the latter during it. Reports suggest Agbadou could be out for 3-4 weeks.
Rodrigo Gomes missed the match at Anfield with “a problem”, too.
Hwang Hee-chan (hamstring), Sasa Kalajdzic (knee), Yerson Mosquera (knee), Leon Chiwome (knee) and Enso Gonzalez (knee) remain out.
