The race for Europe: Which teams are worst hit by injuries? | OneFootball

The race for the Premier League’s European spots is hotting up with clubs having just two or three games remaining of the campaign.

Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool have all qualified for Champions League football next season, while Aston Villa look a sure bet to get the fourth spot, sitting seven points ahead of an out of form Spurs side in fifth despite having played a game more than Ange Postecoglou’s side.

It looks very unlikely that West Ham will be able to finish in the top seven after their heavy defeat to rivals Chelsea on Sunday, leaving the Blues, Newcastle and Man Utd along with Spurs in the race for Europa and Conference League qualification.

Whether seventh is enough for a Conference League spot will be decided by whether Manchester United win the FA Cup final and finish fifth or sixth, however.

Here are how those sides are currently impacted by injuries ahead of a crucial run in…

Tottenham

Injured/out (6): Destiny Udogie, Fraser Forster, Ryan Sessegnon, Timo Werner, Manor Solomon, Ben Davies

None of Tottenham’s injured players are expected to return before the end of the season. Losing Udogie to a thigh injury was a big blow for Postecoglou and his side, who have lost the last four on the bounce, while a calf injury to Davies has left the Spurs boss with something of a crisis at left-back.

Spurs still look well set for a fifth-placed finish thanks to their earlier season form but with Newcastle four points behind them and looking confident, they will need to ensure that losing run does not extend to the end of the season, with struggling Burnley up next.

Newcastle United

Injured/out (8): Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles, Sandro Tonali, Joe Willock, Fabian Schar, Lewis Miley, Kieran Trippier, Matt Targett

Newcastle have been plagued by injury problems all season but have recovered well to put themselves in firm contention for a return to European football next season. Of all Eddie Howe’s injured players, only Trippier looks likely to return before the end of the campaign which leaves the Magpies especially light at the back. But having won five of the last seven, their injuries do not look to be holding them back in the race for European football.

Chelsea

Injured/out (8): Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, Enzo Fernandez, Lesley Ugochukwu, Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka, Robert Sanchez

A late season surge has put Mauricio Pochettino’s side in with a chance of at least qualifying for the Europa Conference League but injuries remain an issue. The Blues have recovered slightly over the past week but are still without some big players. Pochettino will hope to have James, Chilwell, Chukwuemeka, Ugochukwu and Sanchez back in contention before the end of the season but this is not a certainty.

Injured/out (11): Tyrell Malacia, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford, Scott McTominay, Bruno Fernandes, Anthony Martial, Victor Lindelof, Willy Kambwala

Erik ten Hag has attributed much of United’s struggles this season down to the club’s horrendous injury problems, particularly in defence, and a woeful run of form has United looking like outsiders for a European finish, though they could still enter by winning the FA Cup. ten Hag will hope to have many of his players back before that final and the end of the Premier League season, though, including Martinez, Varane, Shaw, Rashford, McTominay, Fernandes and Martial in a boost to their hopes of turning things around.

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