Arsenal and Tottenham come out of the international break with the sharpest fitness concerns. Arsenal have been hit particularly hard, with Kai Havertz, Christos Tzolis and Ezri Konsa all picking up problems while representing their nations, while Tottenham have lost both Micky van de Ven and Jean Paul van Hecke.

Arsenal's last competitive match was a 3-0 defeat to Brighton on September 19, so the timing could hardly be worse for Mikel Arteta. Chelsea are also carrying a set of issues that largely predate the break, with Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer and Reece James all already in the treatment conversation.

Arsenal and Tottenham absorb the biggest blow

Havertz's numbers show why Arsenal will feel his absence. He has made 5 Premier League appearances, logged 447 minutes and scored 2 goals this season, so this is not just another squad-player problem. Losing that much forward involvement leaves Arteta with less flexibility at exactly the wrong moment.

The concern around Tottenham is different but just as awkward. Van de Ven has only 4 Premier League appearances and 360 minutes, yet that still represents real first-team value when he is available. Tottenham can ill afford to keep trimming defensive options after the break, especially with another league return coming up fast.

Chelsea's workload and the wider availability squeeze

Chelsea's issues look less dramatic on paper, but they still matter. Palmer has already made 5 Premier League appearances, played 447 minutes, and chipped in with 2 goals and 2 assists. James has added 296 minutes, which is another sign that Chelsea are still having to manage his load carefully.

The wider league picture is not tidy either. Matthias Jaissle and Michael Carrick could head into this weekend with over 20 absentees between them, which is the sort of strain that tends to show up in selection decisions long before kick-off. Chelsea are part of that same squeeze, even if their problems have been building for longer than the international break itself.

The immediate focus now is the Premier League return, and Arsenal have the shortest turnaround to answer after that Brighton defeat on 19 September. For Arteta, the first task is simply getting enough of his core players back in the frame for the weekend.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →