Premier League injury table: Arsenal, West Ham, Crystal Palace and Manchester United have most absentees
The Premier League makes its much-anticipated return this weekend after another long international break.
Most nations played two fixtures as top-flight stars jetted around the world to link up with their country.
Some did not make it through unscathed, such as Jordan Henderson and Nemanja Matic, who returned to Liverpool and Manchester United respectively with issues to add to growing injury lists ahead of a busy festive schedule.
George Pitts takes a look at each Premier League club's current list of absentees, ranked from most to fewest...
Arsenal - 7
- Injured: Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Nacho Monreal, Danny Welbeck, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Laurent Koscielny
Both Lacazette and Aubameyang pulled out of international duty with a groin and back injury respectively. A glimmer of hope for Gunners fans is the fact they were both described as 'minor' issues and could feature against Bournemouth on Sunday. Monreal last appeared in the early October win over Fulham and returned to training ahead of the international break, so there is hope he could play at the Vitality Stadium while Lichsteiner limped off in their Europa League clash with Sporting Lisbon with a hamstring injury.
Arsenal uploaded images of Wednesday's training session - Lacazette and Aubameyang were present, but there was no sign of Monreal or Lichsteiner.
West Ham - 7
- Injured: Ryan Fredericks, Andriy Yarmolenko, Carlos Sanchez, Jack Wilshere, Andy Carroll, Winston Reid, Manuel Lanzini
The Hammers could be boosted by the return of Wilshere and Carroll after training during the international break, but the likes of Yarmolenko, Sanchez, Reid and Lanzini all have longer term issues.
Crystal Palace - 7
- Injured: Mamadou Sakho, James Tomkins, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Wilfried Zaha, Connor Wickham, Scott Dann, Christian Benteke
Benteke is out until 2019 and Wickham, troubled with injuries in recent years, suffered a setback recently with a thigh strain.
Star man Zaha is back in training ahead of Palace's trip to old club Man United, but the Eagles are waiting to see the extent of Sakho, who had to be replaced while featuring for France against Uruguay on Tuesday.
Manchester United - 7
- Injured: Marcus Rashford, Eric Bailly, Anthony Martial, Marouane Fellaini, Romelu Lukaku, Paul Pogba, Diogo Dalot
Martial, Fellaini and Dalot were all pictured in training on Tuesday, but Matic is a doubt for their Crystal Palace fixture after missing Serbia's win over Lithuania.
Victor Lindelof overcame injury to score in Sweden's crucial UEFA Nations League win over Russia, while the Red Devils will wait until later in the week to make a decision on Pogba (thigh, but he was well enough to be allowed a mid-season holiday to Dubai!), Martial (hip), Lukaku (calf) and Fellaini (groin) but they could be boosted by the return of Antonio Valencia.
Manchester City - 6
- Injured: Bernardo Silva, Benjamin Mendy, Nicolas Otamendi, Kevin De Bruyne, Claudio Bravo, Eliaquim Mangala
Bernardo Silva will be assessed by City after missing Portugal's draw with Poland on Tuesday, which will come as a disappointment to the man himself after impressing in Kevin De Bruyne's absence.
Pep Guardiola's side face an away trip to West Ham on Saturday and he could be forced to reshuffle his engine room - possibly a chance for Ilkay Gundogan.
Fabian Delph could also feature in Silva's absence, with a chance he could also fill in at left-back with Benjamin Mendy on the sidelines after knee surgery. Otamendi has been out since late October with an Achilles injury and missed the international break with Argentina, while Bravo and Mangala are sidelined on a longer term basis.
Newcastle United - 6
Injured: Paul Dummett, Yoshinori Muto, Jamaal Lascelles, Jonjo Shelvey, Florian Lejeune, Jamie Sterry
Lejeune is a long-term absence, expected back in the New Year, while Dummett is a doubt for the Magpies' trip to Burnley on Monday after sustaining a muscle injury on international duty with Wales.
Fans will be pleased Salomon Rondon got through the break unscathed after scoring two for Newcastle last time out, but he will have covered some air miles having gone to Japan and Iran with Venezuela. Lascelles and Shelvey could be available for a big Clarets clash on Monday, though.
Burnley - 6
- Injured: Steven Defour, Johann Gudmundsson, James Tarkowski, Ben Gibson, Stephen Ward, Nick Pope
Burnley have more longer term injuries in their physio room than most, with just Gudmunsson looking to be available to face Newcastle after a calf issue.
Tottenham Hotspur - 6
- Injured: Kieran Trippier, Davinson Sanchez, Mousa Dembele, Danny Rose, Jan Vertonghen, Vincent Janssen
Trippier was withdrawn from England duty after limping off in the first half against Crystal Palace, so a near two-week break will have worked to his advantage and Spurs are continuing to assess the full-back. Janssen is a long-term absentee, Vertonghen and Dembele continue to be sidelined while Sanchez and Rose will be assessed with the hope of featuring against rivals Chelsea on Saturday evening.
AFC Bournemouth - 5
Injured: Adam Smith, Jefferson Lerma, Asmir Begovic, Junior Stanislas, Josh King
Begovic and King will continue to be assessed, with the latter training this week after an ankle injury, but the Cherries have a few longer-term players on the treatment table including Adam Smith, who recently got stretchered off at Newcastle.
Leicester City - 4
- Injured: Harry Maguire, James Maddison, Daniel Amartey, Matty James
Fantasy Football managers, as well as Foxes fans, will be concerned over the fitness of winger Maddison, whose knee issue was going to be monitored over the international break, while Claude Puel previously said Maguire's was 'a little more serious than Maddison's'.
Amartey and James are expected to be out until 2019.
Watford - 4
- Injured: Will Hughes, Sebastian Prodl, Daryl Janmaat, Tom Cleverley
The Hornets face a tough home clash with Liverpool as they resume in the Premier League and Javi Gracia should have Janmaat back and available for selection after his return to training last week.
Cleverley looks to be making his way back from an Achilles injury, but it is early days yet, while they will wait to see on Hughes' calf injury.
Brighton and Hove Albion - 4
- Injured: Alireza Jahanbakhsh, David Button, Davy Propper, Pascal Gross
Jahanbakhsh may not return in time after a hamstring injury but Chris Hughton's Seagulls will be hopeful over midfield duo Propper and Gross.
Everton - 4
- Injured: Ademola Lookman, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Andre Gomes, Jonjoe Kenny
Key man Sigurdsson remains doubtful with the ankle injury sustained in a heavy challenge by Jorginho at Chelsea, while Lookman and Gomes are just doubtful and could be involved for the home visit of Cardiff.
Chelsea - 3
- Injured: Mateo Kovacic, Ethan Ampadu, Marco van Ginkel
Kovacic is the main first team doubt, with the Croatian missing the UEFA Nations League defeat at Wembley. It has been described as a minor muscle injury and he could be involved for the short trip to rivals Tottenham on Saturday evening.
Huddersfield - 3
- Injured: Chris Lowe, Jonas Lossl, Danny Williams
Lossl and Williams could return after a knock and knee injury respectively, with the latter being able to use the international break as an opportunity to come back, while Lowe could be a little further away from a return after a shoulder problem.
Cardiff - 3
- Injured: Sean Morrison, Kenneth Zohore, Jazz Richards
Neil Warnock should have a near full-strength squad for the trip to Everton, with Morrison, Zohore and Richards expected to be assessed before Saturday.
Southampton - 3
- Injured: Mario Lemina, Danny Ings, Shane Long
Mark Hughes' Saints have a big match at Fulham on Saturday and they are expected to be without all three men, with Lemina and Ings major doubts with muscle injuries while Long has a lengthier ankle problem to contend with.
Liverpool - 2
- Injured: Jordan Henderson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Oxlade-Chamberlain's return from a serious knee injury is going to be a long process, while Henderson will continue to be assessed after playing just over half an hour in England's friendly win over USA.
According to the Liverpool Echo, the Reds captain missed Sunday's Nations League win over Croatia as a precaution and should be fine ahead of Saturday's Watford clash - before a tough Champions League match at PSG.
Fulham - 2
- Injured: Kevin McDonald, Joe Bryan
The Cottagers have a big first match under Claudio Ranieri (pictured) against Southampton at Craven Cottage and he could have a full squad to choose from with McDonald and Bryan looking to return from muscular issues.
Wolves - 2
- Injured: Jonathan Castro Otto, Matt Doherty
A knee ligament injury keeps loanee Jonny out until the turn of the year after sustaining the injury on international duty with Spain in recent days.
Fellow full-back Doherty is also a potential doubt after missing Ireland's international double-header with a 'facial injury'.
Information via the Physio Room, taken on 21/11/18
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