Liverpool v Arsenal – the injury count and how it affects our league position

By Bulldog Drummond

The number of Arsenal injuries has increased dramatically, but then so have injuries across the Premier League clubs.   And oh, what a coincidence we have just had an international break.  Funny ol game.

Here’s the list, this time showing not just the club’s position in the injury league but also each club’s position in the actual league.

Injury position	Club	No of injuries	League position
1	Liverpool	10	4
2	Brentford	8	13
3	Manchester City	7	2
3	Watford	7	17
5	Aston Villa	6	16
5	Brighton and Hove Albion	6	7
5	Chelsea	6	1
5	Everton	6	11
5	Norwich City	6	20
5	Tottenham Hotspur	6	9
11	Arsenal	5	5
11	Crystal Palace	5	10
11	Leeds United	5	14
11	Leicester City	5	12
11	Manchester United	5	6
11	Wolverhampton Wanderers	5	8
17	Southampton	4	13
18	Burnley	3	18
18	Newcastle United	3	19
18	West Ham United	3	3

It’s the first time we’ve looked at injuries and league position and compared them, and really there is very little to show a link between league position and injury table position.  Burnley and Newcastle are sinking near the foot of the table but with the smallest number of injuries.   Liverpool are at the top of the injury tree and are fourth in the league.

Arsenal’s injury position is very much mid-table.  Here are the details from Premier League Injuries:

Player	Reason	Further Detail	Potential Return	Condition	Status
Granit Xhaka	Knee Injury	Aim to be back in full training in January.	16/01/2022	None	Ruled Out
Thomas Partey	Groin/Hip/Pelvic Injury	Nov 19: “He could not play for the national team. Again, it’s something we have to assess today because he hasn’t done enough [preparation work].”	20/11/2021	Late Fitness Test	50%
Folarin Balogun	Other	Nov 16: “He had stomach cramps so he was struggling in the first half with that and we took him off. He’s not injured.”	20/11/2021	Late Fitness Test	75%
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	Other	Nov 19: “No it wasn’t pre-planned, we have to assess him and see how he is and make a decision.”	20/11/2021	Late Fitness Test	50%
Sead Kolasinac	Ankle/Foot Injury	Nov 18: “Sead sustained a significant injury to his ankle playing for Bosnia. He is now starting his rehab back in the UK and continues to be assessed.”	No Return Date	None	Ruled Out

So the worry is Aubameyang – which could mean a complete re-thinking of the forward line.

The Guardian’s headline is nonetheless “Arsenal head to Anfield with confidence”, but with the warning that “If titles were won on attacking flair alone then Liverpool would be favourites: their front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mané continue to wreak the usual havoc among opposition defences.”

But it is that problem of the midfield and defence that is slowing Liverpool down somewhat.   

As for Arsenal the Guardian has caught up with the reality of the fact that having replaced the whole defence it has worked, adding, “Solidity at the back has also been a big reason for the Gunners’ uptick in form, with the central defensive partnership of Ben White and Gabriel quickly growing in stature. Liverpool have conceded 10 goals in six Premier League matches and Arsenal will seek to test Alisson, who produced a couple of costly errors in the defeat by West Ham.”

No mention of wresting control in the match away from the yellow card waving referees by cutting the number of tackles.  But then that subject is utterly taboo in the media – orders from on high.

But referees aside, it seems that it is not all doom and gloom after all!!!

Other top five matches this weekend…

• Leicester City v Chelsea, Saturday 12.30pm
• Manchester City v Everton, Sunday 2pm
• Wolverhampton Wanderers v West Ham United, Saturday 3pm

And elsewhere on Untold

• With Arsenal rising these are confusing times for journos, but how will it all end
• Liverpool v Arsenal. Do we stand a chance? Well, we did a while back…