Premier League Injury Statistical Breakdown
The 2023-24 is more of a Premier League injury season, with managers across the league citing extensive absence lists as a major challenge. Sports Buddy delves into the data compiled by the Premier Injuries website to explore the extent of the problem and its potential causes.
A Season of High Injury Rates
Many factors have been attributed to the high injury rates including top players’ relentless playing schedule, European and international commitments and stricter time-wasting rules leading to longer games The research, conducted over 20 years by Premier Injuries, reveals: ”
The highest total ever recorded was the total number of individual injuries in which a player missed at least one Premier League game Many players had several different injuries. The total of injuries this season increased by 11% from the previous season when there was a disrupting winter World Cup. The rate of hamstring injuries increased by 18% annually.
“Fatigue means that everything goes on normally until the body breaks down, and now you have a problem,” said Premier Injuries’ Ben Dinnery. “The greatest warning sign for injuries is fatigue.”
Manchester United Leads Injury Log
| Team | Separate injuries |
|---|---|
| MNU | 45 |
| CHE | 43 |
| NEW | 41 |
| BRI | 41 |
| AST | 39 |
| TOT | 37 |
| CRY | 37 |
| FOR | 36 |
| LIV | 35 |
| LUT | 35 |
| EVE | 33 |
| SHU | 31 |
| BRE | 29 |
| MNC | 26 |
| WHU | 26 |
| WOL | 26 |
| BOU | 25 |
| BUR | 25 |
| ARS | 23 |
| FUL | 22 |
| Total | 655 |
Injuries seem to hit Manchester United the most. It’s no shock that Manchester United tops this sad list after playing players out of position countlessly. Wan Bissaka has had to fill in at Left back to salvage the situation, even Sofyan Amrabat have had to play same position in games like Burnley in the first leg.
Heading towards the latter part of the season, Manchester had no fit Centre back after losing the likes Lisandro Martinez, Varane, Maguire, Lindelof, young Kambwala and a half fit Evans which led to a Casemiro make shift Centre Back. The Brazilian was widely exposed for playing the position and cost Erik Ten Hag some games.
Chelsea: Another Injury Hit Victim
Recently sacked Pochettino also suffered a far share of the injuries losing his star forward Christopher Nkunku for virtually every week in the season. Injuries to first team members like Fofana, Lavia, Chukwuemeka and more who spent more time in the hospital bed than they did training. Going in into the games against Spurs in the return leg, Chelsea had to name a six man bench consisting of: Bettinelli, Castledine, Deivid Washington, Dyer, Sturge and Tyrique. This names is a testament to the curse that has plagued Mauricio Pochettino
It is interesting to note that Manchester City is the premier league champions and they have had the least number of players who were injured during the season. This could be because Pep Guardiola has previously managed elite players and has been able to rotate his squad effectively.
Most Missed Days Due to Injuries
| Team | Days lost |
|---|---|
| NEW | 1,950 |
| SHU | 1,761 |
| CHE | 1,745 |
| BRI | 1,727 |
| BRE | 1,702 |
| MNU | 1,620 |
| CRY | 1,582 |
| LUT | 1,428 |
| TOT | 1,402 |
| LIV | 1,383 |
| BUR | 1,290 |
| AST | 1,236 |
| FOR | 1,068 |
| ARS | 898 |
| BOU | 882 |
| EVE | 832 |
| WOL | 724 |
| FUL | 675 |
| MNC | 672 |
| WHU | 564 |
| Total | 25,131 |
There was a concrete effect on Premier League games as a result of many injuries. The severity of some clubs’ crises can be seen in occurrences like Casemiro having to fill in as a make-shift center-back for Manchester United and the emergence of youth talents in Liverpool because of injury casualties.
”Recruitment is massive”, Dinnery said. “Injuries can occur due to new players having to adapt to the high rates of attack in the premier league. Brighton, for instance, found themselves unexpectedly qualifying for European competition which had put more pressure on its players as they were unprepared for such an event.”
With the injuries to Chelsea and Manutd, it would have been a different scenario to their season if they had a far more fit squad. One can only feel sorry for the managers of both clubs because it seems to have cost them their jobs.
