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Premier League clubs are facing growing selection challenges as injuries, suspensions and disciplinary risks continue to impact squads across the division.
From long-term knee problems to players walking a disciplinary tightrope, managers, and Fantasy Premier League players, will need to monitor availability closely as the season moves deeper into its decisive phase.
Injury concerns across the league
Arsenal are without several squad members, with Bukayo Saka sidelined by a hip issue, while Mikel Merino (foot) and Max Dowman (ankle) are also unavailable.
At Aston Villa, fitness issues continue to mount. Ollie Watkins is dealing with a knock, while Ross Barkley and Boubacar Kamara remain out with knee injuries. Youri Tielemans (ankle) and Alysson (knock) add to Unai Emery’s concerns.
Bournemouth have been hit particularly hard, with hamstring problems affecting Marcus Tavernier and Ben Gannon-Doak, while Justin Kluivert (knee) and Tyler Adams (knee) are also sidelined.
Injuries are widespread elsewhere, with notable absentees including:
- Levi Colwill (Chelsea, knee)
- Solly March (Brighton, knee)
- John Stones (Manchester City, thigh)
- Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle, ankle)
- James Maddison (Tottenham, knee)
- Lucas Paquetá (West Ham, unspecified)
Tottenham Hotspur are among the hardest hit, with a lengthy injury list that includes Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Pedro Porro, Dejan Kulusevski, Richarlison and Rodrigo Bentancur, raising serious concerns about squad depth.
Suspended players
Disciplinary issues are also affecting team selections, with three players currently serving suspensions:
- Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest) – suspended for Gameweek 25
- Kevin Schade (Brentford) – suspended for Gameweeks 25 and 26
- Jean-Clair Todibo (West Ham United) – suspended for Gameweeks 25 and 26
Red-card suspensions apply across all domestic competitions, including the Premier League, FA Cup and EFL Cup.
Players close to a two-match ban
Under FA rules, players who reach 10 yellow cards by their club’s 32nd league match will receive a two-game suspension. Several players are approaching that threshold, including:
- Yerson Mosquera (Wolves) – 9 yellow cards
- Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Tim Iroegbunam (Everton) – 8 yellow cards
- Moisés Caicedo (Chelsea), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds), Kyle Walker (Burnley) – 7 yellow cards
A further group, including Casemiro, Joelinton, Enzo Fernández and Van de Ven, are also edging closer to danger.
Loan restrictions to watch
Several loanees will be unavailable when facing their parent clubs later in the season:
- Reiss Nelson (Brentford) vs Arsenal – GW26
- Jadon Sancho (Aston Villa) vs Manchester United – GW30
- Jack Grealish (Everton) vs Manchester City – GW35
- Facundo Buonanotte (Leeds) vs Brighton – GW37
- Harvey Elliott (Aston Villa) vs Liverpool – GW37
Selection headaches ahead
With injuries mounting and suspensions looming, Premier League managers face difficult decisions in the coming weeks. The situation also presents a major challenge for Fantasy Premier League players, where rotation risks and unexpected absences could prove decisive.
As the fixture list tightens, squad depth, and discipline, may yet play a defining role in the race for points, places and survival.
Featured Image Credit: Pixabay / HawaiiHemdHeiko, Unsplash / BEN ELLIOTT
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