Chelsea suffered most injuries in 2021-22 – but Manchester United's cost the most

Premier League clubs suffered almost a third more injuries and illnesses last season – and a staggering near-150 per cent more than before the havoc wreaked by coronavirus – according to a new report.

Howden’s European Football Injury Index, compiled by the international insurance broker, has found there were 1,231 such absences in the world’s richest league during the 2021-22 campaign, 293 more than the previous year (938) and 736 more than in 2018-19 (495).

The data also showed the Premier League suffered the most injuries and illnesses of Europe’s big-five leagues, with dethroned European champions Chelsea struck down with by far the most (97).

They were followed by Manchester United (81) and Liverpool (80), with Premier League champions Manchester City (67), Arsenal (69) and Tottenham Hotspur (52) getting off more lightly.

English clubs were also found to have paid out the most in wages to injured and sick players, a total of £184.57 million.

Of the 1,231 recorded absences, positive Covid-19 cases accounted for the most with 186, followed by muscle injuries with 133.

The pandemic proved the perfect storm for clubs in terms of injuries and illnesses, firstly through the suspension of all sport in the UK between March and June 2020 that led to the season being extended and subsequent post-season breaks shortened, secondly through the postponement of matches due to mass Covid outbreaks within squads, and thirdly through individual players either testing positive or being forced to self-isolate.

£513m paid to sick and injured players

The latest Howden report, the third to be published, found the total number of injuries and illnesses across all of Europe’s top five leagues last season was 4,810, a 20 per cent increase on the 2020-21 campaign (3,988).

It calculated the amount paid out to injured and sick players to have been more than half a billion pounds (£513.23 million).

The report’s findings will fuel the debate about fixture congestion at a time when top Premier League clubs are facing the prospect of playing even more games each season following the expansion of the Champions League from 2024.

Maheta Molango, chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association said: “First and foremost, fixture congestion is a player welfare issue. In many of the conversations we have with PFA members it’s the number one issue they raise. Players want the fixture calendar to be looked at properly and for measures like protected breaks to be given real consideration. As we’ve said before, though, playing too many games is also a business issue if it damages the ‘product’.

“If players are asked to play too much, those who watch the game will never be seeing the best version of that player, either because they are injured or because they are never able to play at full capacity. They also get to see them play at their peak for a shorter window, with careers getting shorter due to the demands of the modern game. Ultimately, in the long term, nobody wins.”

James Burrows, Head of Sport, Howden said: “This research confirms what leading club managers have been saying for a while now – injuries are on the rise across European football.

“The reasons for this will be the subject of much debate but Howden’s extensive research shows there’s a 20 per cent rise season on season in injured players. With football’s authorities currently negotiating the game’s calendar, the Injury Index provides a deep insight into the human and financial cost of congested fixture lists and a packed calendar. It will help answer the question of whether there’s just too much football being played.”