The Premier League is approaching the halfway point of the 2023-24 season as this calendar year draws to a close.
With European and cup fixtures coming thick and fast in December, plenty of sides are struggling with injuries amid a packed schedule.
The last round of Europa League and Conference League matches finished on Thursday night. Nottingham Forest host Tottenham Hotspur in domestic football just 24 hours later on Friday night.
Advertisement
Saturday, meanwhile, sees Chelsea welcome Sheffield United to west London, while Manchester City are looking to close the gap on leaders Liverpool when they face Crystal Palace. Liverpool themselves face rivals Manchester United in the pick of Sunday’s games while title-chasing Arsenal are in action at home against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Stay up-to-date with all the latest injury and team news below.
This article will be updated with the latest news and quotes from press conferences
Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Hotspur
Friday, December 15 (8pm GMT)
Forest team news: Taiwo Awoniyi is Forest’s only long-term absentee. Serge Aurier and Murillo are doubts, with the latter missing last week’s defeat at Fulham and the former going off during Saturday’s draw against Wolves.
Tottenham team news: James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Manor Solomon, Rodrigo Bentancur, Ivan Perisic and Ryan Sessegnon are all out long-term. Eric Dier will likely miss the trip to Forest, while head coach Ange Postecoglou also ruled out Giovani Lo Celso.
Referee: Jarred Gillett (VAR: Michael Oliver)
Opta omen: Tottenham have scored in each of their last 28 Premier League games, their longest scoring streak in league football since a run of 32 between February and November 1962.
Saturday, December 16 (3pm GMT)
Bournemouth team news: Tyler Adams, Max Aarons, Darren Randolph, Lloyd Kelly, Alex Scott, Emiliano Marcondes and Ryan Fredericks are all out. Hamed Traore will not be involved after missing last week’s win at Manchester United through illness. “It will be similar to last week,” boss Andoni Iraola said on Friday. “We have not had any new issues. Traore is still fighting against illness. Alex (Scott) and Max (Aarons) are doing some training with the group but I think the squad will be similar to last week.”
Advertisement
Luton team news: Dan Potts is out and Marvelous Nakamba is suspended but Issa Kabore is available after being unable to face Manchester City, his parent club, last weekend. Cauley Woodrow and Reece Burke are doubts but Rob Edwards has said Gabe Osho and Chiedozie Ogbene are available again after missing the City game.
Referee: Simon Hooper (VAR: David Coote)
Opta omen: Bournemouth have earned 16 points over their last seven Premier League games (W5 D1 L1), having been winless in 13 before this (D3 L10). Since (and including) their first game in this run in October, only Liverpool (17) have earned more Premier League points than them.
Chelsea vs Sheffield United
Saturday, December 16 (3pm GMT)
Chelsea team news: Chelsea have confirmed that goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and defender Marc Cucurella, along with club captain Reece James, are “set for spells on the sidelines following medical results this week”. Sanchez has undergone assessments on his knee, while Cucurella “is now due to meet foot and ankle specialists” following their injuries against Everton last Sunday. James, the club added, has a “significant” hamstring injury.
Wesley Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka, Lesley Ugochukwu, Trevoh Chabolah and Ben Chilwell are all out. Romeo Lavia, Malo Gusto and Noni Madueke are doubts, while Mauricio Pochettino confirmed Christopher Nkunku will be named in the matchday squad and is in contention to play his first game for the club.
Sheff Utd team news: Chris Basham, Daniel Jebbison, John Egan and Tom Davies will miss the trip to Chelsea. Rhys Norrington-Davies and Rhian Brewster are also doubts but have returned to training after long periods out. Jack Robinson will miss the game through suspension, although Oli McBurnie and Oliver Norwood are both available again after serving their bans. George Baldock is in contention to play after sustaining a hamstring injury against Liverpool.
Advertisement
Referee: Andy Madley (VAR: Peter Bankes)
Opta omen: Sheffield United are the only team without an away win in the Premier League so far this season (D1 L6). They have also scored fewer (four) and conceded the joint most (20) away goals in the top flight this term.
GO DEEPER
Explained: Premier League clubs close the 'Chelsea loophole' but agree on little else
Reece James is set for a lengthy layoff with a hamstring injury (James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)Manchester City vs Crystal Palace
Saturday, December 16 (3pm GMT)
Man City team news: Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku are both unavailable, while Jack Grealish is an injury doubt. Erling Haaland is not expected to return to selection for this match. “I don’t think so,” said Pep Guardiola was asked if Haaland would be involved against Palace. Asked if he was worried about the injury, Guardiola said: “No, it’s not structure, it’s just stress. Day by day, week by week, we have to see how he feels.”
Palace team news: Cheick Doucoure, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Rob Holding remain out, with Roy Hodgson adding that Dean Henderson and Eberechi Eze were unlikely to feature but Tyrick Mitchell is “OK”. Sam Johnstone, Jefferson Lerma and Odsonne Edouard are all expecting to miss the game after picking up injuries in the defeat by Liverpool last weekend. Jordan Ayew is suspended after his red card in that match.
Referee: Paul Tierney (VAR: Stuart Attwell)
Opta omen: Crystal Palace have won 68.8 per cent of their Premier League points in away games so far this season (11/16), the highest ratio in the division. Three of the Eagles’ four wins so far have come on the road, winning more games in the north west of the country (two) than in London (one).
GO DEEPER
How often do Premier League champions score last-minute winners? Less than you might think.
Saturday, December 16 (3pm GMT)
Newcastle team news: Nick Pope will undergo surgery on a shoulder injury, with Sandro Tonali, Matt Targett, Jacob Murphy, Sven Botman, Elliot Anderson, Javier Manquillo and Harvey Barnes also long-term absentees. Kieran Trippier is suspended for the visit of Fulham and Joe Willock is ruled out, while Anthony Gordon will be assessed after going off during Wednesday’s loss against AC Milan. Eddie Howe confirmed Martin Dubravka had been suffering from illness but should be OK to play.
Advertisement
Fulham team news: Marco Silva has no long-term absentees, although defender Tim Ream and winger Adama Traore are ruled out. Issa Diop can return after being out since September with a foot injury, while Silva confirmed Willian should be fit after suffering a knock last weekend.
Referee: Sam Barrott (VAR: Michael Salisbury)
Opta omen: Newcastle are unbeaten in their last six Premier League meetings with Fulham (W4 D2), winning the last three in a row.
Dan Burn made his Newcastle comeback on Wednesday after six weeks out (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)Saturday, December 16 (5.30pm GMT)
Burnley team news: Luca Koleosho will be absent for some time due to a knee injury, with manager Vincent Kompany hopeful the winger will return this season. Lyle Foster remains out of contention due to mental health reasons, with Jack Cork out through injury and Charlie Taylor missing through suspension. Josh Cullen and Aaron Ramsey are both doubts.
Everton team news: Dele Alli is likely still out, while Jarrad Branthwaite and Idrissa Gueye are suspended. Sean Dyche said on Thursday he will likely be without Ashley Young and Seamus Coleman, while Michael Keane should be fit and Andre Gomes will get minutes with the Under-21 side this week.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (VAR: Chris Kavanagh)
Opta omen: Everton have won their last three Premier League games by an aggregate score of 6-0. They last won four in a row in December 2020 under Carlo Ancelotti, while they last did so without conceding in November 2002 under David Moyes (a run of five).
Arsenal vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Sunday, December 17 (2pm GMT)
Arsenal team news: Takehiro Tomiyasu will be out for several weeks due to injury, while Fabio Vieira, Thomas Partey and Jurrien Timber remain long-term absentees. Mohamed Elneny is out with a hamstring injury but Gabriel Martinelli is expected to feature, having suffered from an illness this week. “Martinelli is feeling good and we have no other news apart from Mo (Elneny),” Arteta said on Friday. “He felt something in his hamstring. It does not look too serious and he will be with us again very soon.”
Advertisement
Brighton team news: Tariq Lamptey, Solly March, Pervis Estupinan, Julio Enciso, Danny Welbeck and Ansu Fati are out, although Adam Webster is in contention to return to the matchday squad following an injury.
Referee: Tim Robinson (VAR: Paul Tierney)
Opta omen: Since losing 3-0 to Brighton in May, Arsenal are unbeaten in 12 home games in all competitions (W10 D2), scoring at least twice in 11 of those matches.
Sunday, December 17 (2pm GMT)
Brentford team news: Bryan Mbeumo will be out for around three months with an ankle injury and will miss the Africa Cup of Nations with Cameroon. Thomas Frank said on Friday that Josh Dasilva and Mathias Jensen are unavailable but could return in the coming weeks, while Rico Henry, Kevin Schade and Aaron Hickey are out long-term. Kristoffer Ajer is out with a foot injury but fellow defender Nathan Collins has returned to training after sustaining an ankle ligament injury and could feature in the squad. Ivan Toney remains suspended until next month.
Villa team news: Emi Buendia and Tyrone Mings are out long-term with anterior cruciate ligament injuries (ACL) while Lucas Digne and Douglas Luiz are both suspended for this match. Bertrand Traore is also injured and Unai Emery has confirmed that Youri Tielemans and Leon Bailey are doubts.
Referee: David Coote (VAR: Craig Pawson)
Opta omen: Brentford have lost four of their last five Premier League games (W1), as many as in their previous 18. They’ve lost their previous two, last losing three in a row in April last season.
Sunday, December 17 (2pm GMT)
West Ham team news: Michail Antonio remains out with a knee injury but there are no other confirmed absentees for David Moyes, with goalkeeper Alphonse Areola returning to the matchday squad for Thursday’s home win over Freiburg.
Advertisement
Wolves team news: Jonny Otto has been exiled from the Wolves squad after swinging an elbow at an Under-21 player and damaging items in the player’s room. Joe Hodge and Pedro Neto remain out. Rayan Ait-Nouri is expected to return from injury while Mario Lemina is also expected to be involved after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Referee: Chris Kavanagh (VAR: Jarred Gillett)
Opta omen: Wolves (21/21) are one of only two sides in the Premier League this season who have seen 100 per cent of their goals come from inside the penalty area, along with Crystal Palace (15/15). Indeed, only Sheffield United (37) and Luton (31) have conceded more goals inside the penalty area in the division this season than West Ham (27).
Liverpool vs Manchester United
Sunday, December 17 (4.30pm GMT)
Liverpool team news: Joel Matip is expected to miss the remainder of the season with an ACL injury. Thiago, Stefan Bajcetic, Andy Robertson and Diogo Jota all remain sidelined, with Alexis MacAllister a doubt to recover in time from a knee injury.
Manchester United team news: Amad, Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, Tyrell Malacia and Christian Eriksen remain out, though the former has returned to full training. Captain Bruno Fernandes is suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards. United boss Erik ten Hag confirmed on Friday that Harry Maguire and Anthony Martial were expected to miss the game, but that Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford are available for the trip to Anfield.
Victor Lindelof and Mason Mount are both doubts after periods out through injury, with Ten Hag not mentioning that either would be available for Sunday’s match. Jadon Sancho is still away from the team due to his dispute with Ten Hag.
Referee: Michael Oliver (VAR: John Brooks)
Advertisement
Opta omen: Liverpool are unbeaten in their last seven Premier League home games against Manchester United (W4 D3), winning the last two by an aggregate score of 11-0. They last had a longer run without a league defeat at Anfield against them between 1970 and 1979 (nine).
GO DEEPER
Jose Mourinho pointed out Man United's flaws five years ago. Has anything really changed?
(Photos: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images, Michael Regan/Getty Images, James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
ncG1vNJzZmismJqutbTLnquim16YvK57lGpqb25kaHxzfJFsZmpqX2aBcLzRnqSinaJiuaatxq6cZqGen8KzxYytnJqlXaOyuL%2BMoK5qb18%3D