I Dig Sports
MESA, Ariz. Cant we all just NOT get along?
Thats what four-time and reigning Top Fuel champion Antron Brown was wondering.
Everybodys seeing the value of our sport, he said, but there are some things in our sport that I see that could be different. One, Brown suggested, was that we need to really stop being Mr. or Mrs. Nice Person. Hes jonesing for some authentic smack-talk.
I think that will make our sport where you could get some more storylines and people could see it, because thats what people resonate with. Thats why they like watching UFC. Thats why they watch watching a boxing match. Connor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather. They were friends, but when they put those gloves on, they were talking junk to each other, and then they were backing it up what they were doing in the ring. And thats what we need is not putting something thats fake on its being true, but just letting our true inner competitive nature out.
Shirley Muldowney said it years ago: Im not to get out the car and say something nice about somebody who just beat me. They took money out of my pocket.
Absolutely, Brown said. People think its funny. They laugh at me when I say, That jokers trying to take my lunch money. It was more on the comedy side, but I was being who I am, and Im telling the truth because thats how I look at it.
When we put our race helmets on, we need to bring in our competitive nature and show it. And thats one thing that we need to do more of so people could see us and our competitive nature. Were nice and huggy and everything else like that, where I think we need to show em more of who we really truly are because were all gladiators. We go to war, he said.
He cited on-track rival Brittany Force: She has a pretty smile. She looks like a Barbie doll, but she aint no Barbie doll when she puts that helmet on. I say she is a monster.
Brown said Force cuts her better reaction times against him, trying to put me on the trailer. So we need to tell more of that. We need to have some more combatants against each other.
He would have giggled If he heard Vance & Hines crew chief Andrew Hines critical remarks about his rider Gaige Herreras opponent and keenest adversary, Matt Smith, in the recent Gatornationals Pro Stock Motorcycle final at Gainesville, Fla.
Smiths bike had trouble firing, and Herrera waited patiently for Smiths team to recover. But Hines said of Smith, We took the high road. But the ready line is back there. He shouldve had his stuff ready.
And maybe Brown enjoyed Bob Tasca IIIs rant against FOX Sports for claiming in its wildly popular IndyCar ads that the open-wheel series produces the fastest racing on Earth.
Tasca indignantly called it insulting to NHRA drivers and fans. Pro Stock winner Dallas Glenn, 34, complimented team boss and final-round foe Greg Anderson, 64, but called him an old guy.
Brown had to be grinning.
You could see me smiling, kissing babies, shaking hands, and when I put my helmet on, Im like gladiator because Im trying to bring death to the competition. And that never changes, brother. I dont care who you are. I dont care what kind of car were racing. We could race big wheels to the 60-foot clock, and you could be a little girl thats seven years old and I aint giving her no false hope. Im taking her to the cleaners, brother, Brown said.
Im a true competitor by nature, and I tell people this all the time: The day that I feel like I dont want to win, I will not be driving a race car. I dont like to lose. I go to the gym, I try to eat the right foods, keep myself in shape, and I try to come out in the best shape and mindset that I could be to win. Im always hungry, brother. Im just speaking the truth of my competitive nature, and Ive always been like that.
Announcer Bill Stephens tried to whip up some passion years ago. He told drag racers that they should be able to leap from their hot rods and share that sense of excitement they just experienced a few seconds earlier. If they cant convey excitement, why should anyone else care to watch? Stephens has a disciple in Brown.
AUSTIN, Texas FloRacing Night in America presented by Kubota is back for its fifth year of action in 2025.
With 10 events on the schedule, the miniseries once again posts a $75,000 champions take if a driver has perfect attendance or a guaranteed $50,000 without perfect attendance.
A drivers best eight finishes will count toward the miniseries title. If less than eight events are contested, all finishes will count toward the title.
The total point fund payout for the miniseries exceeds $137,000 and is as follows:
1)$50,000 ($75,000 championship with perfect attendance) 2)$20,000 3)$10,000 4)$7,000 5)$6,000 6)$5,000 7)$4,000 8)$3,750 9)$3,500 10)$3,000
Last year, Ricky Thornton Jr. took the $75,000 series title over 2023 champion, Bobby Pierce with Daulton Wilson, Jason Feger, Garrett Alberson, Spencer Hughes, Tyler Erb, Hudson ONeal, Dennis Erb Jr. and Carson Ferguson.
All the drivers from the 2024 Top 10 standings with the series have already voiced an intent to run for the miniseries title this year.
The season opens on May 6 at La Salle (Ill.) Speedway with the facilitys grand reopening, which also serves as the opening round of the annual Illinois Speedweek.
Action continues for Illinois Speedweek on May 7 at Spoon River Speedway (Banner, Ill.) before rolling into Lincoln (Ill.) Speedway on May 8.
The NTT IndyCar Series trip to The Thermal Club in California was a statement weekend for the Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team.
With Chip Ganassi Racings Alex Palou favored mightily after a win in the season opener in the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the question became simple who can challenge Palou and the No. 10 Honda for a championship?
Arrow McLarens Pato OWard and Christian Lundgaard answered the bell during qualifying as the duo locked out Palou from the front row. It was OWards first pole in three years.
Even during Sundays 65-lap event, Arrow McLaren appeared to be in control as OWard led over half the race, despite various tire strategies playing out.
However, quiet as could be, Palou made quick work of Lundgaard after a fierce back-and-forth battle and chased down OWard, who had an over nine-second advantage, to take the lead and the victory.
The team missed out on the ultimate prize and settled for second and third.
As OWard reflected, he believes the standard Firestone Black tire that was on his No. 5 Chevrolet was the demise his day.
We took a gamble and it didnt work out for us, OWard said. We had used our new reds in the start because we didnt really quite know what the deg was going to be like, the deg profile. The blacks really kind of took a turn in the negative towards the end of the race and that was it. We didnt really stand a fighting chance.
But thanks for all of the fans hanging in there with us. Thanks to you guys for tuning in and hopefully it was somewhat of an entertainment. Long Beach is whats coming up and hopefully we can have a repeat weekend, maybe even go one better. We have fought for the championship every single year, and thats where I expect to be. The weekends like this is where every point does count.
Every win does count for so much more and we just missed it by that, you definitely feel like youve left some points on the table where if we wouldve gone tomorrow, we maybe wouldve done something different, OWard continued. But, yeah, happy with the points day and were going to keep pushing.
Its a long, long, long season ahead and the ovals are a different beast as well. We need to be strong everywhere.
With Palous recent tear on the series dating back to last year where he scored a third championship, being strong at every track is a must.
For Lundgaard, it was a mixed bag of emotions as a podium result was the positive, but frustration crept in due to Palous dominance.
I think the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet has done a very good job, Lundgaard said. The entire team has done a very good job all weekend. We just didnt have it there. We gave it a shot and came up short, but having two cars on the podium is as well of a day we couldve wished for coming into Thermal.
Its tough seeing this guy beat us every single event. Weve got to find a way to stop him. Gotta thank the fans too for sticking in there. Its a long race, its tough.
Hill Back To Cup Series On Limited Schedule With RCR
WELCOME, N.C. Austin Hill will return to NASCAR Cup Series competition for a limited schedule this year with Richard Childress Racing and backing from United Rentals, the team revealed Monday afternoon.
In the first of five starts, Hill will drive the No. 33 United Rentals Chevrolet at the historic Darlington (S.C.) Raceway on April 6. Andy Street will crew chief the part-time entry and make his debut calling the shots in the Cup Series.
Im excited to compete in the No. 33 United Rentals Chevrolet again this year, said Hill. United Rentals has been a longtime supporter of my career and to continue that relationship once again at the top level of our sport is special. Ive enjoyed my starts in the Cup Series so far and the goal is to keep learning every time I climb into the car.
We have been strategic with adding new tracks to the lineup each season, which allows me to gain valuable experience. Racing for Richard at any level is an honor, but especially in the Cup Series. The focus remains on winning the Xfinity Series championship in November, but any laps in the Cup car are important for the future.
The 2025 campaign marks United Rentals fourth year of partnership with RCR, but the relationship with Hill has been a constant for over eight seasons.
United Rentals and Hill have found success and earned victories together in both the Truck Series and Xfinity Series.
In addition to the primary races on the No. 33 Chevrolet, United Rentals will serve as an associate partner on both Austin Dillons No. 3 Chevrolet and Kyle Buschs No. 8 Chevrolet throughout the Cup Series season.
We are looking forward to racing with Richard Childress Racing and Austin Hill in the NASCAR Cup Series, said Craig Schmidt, senior vice president of national accounts, United Rentals. We have a shared culture of team work that really cements the partnership.
We are excited to continue our support and give our customers unique experiences and a great team to root for.
Hill, who has competed in at least one Cup Series event the last three seasons, made his series debut at Michigan Intl Speedway in August 2022, earning an 18th-place result in the No. 33 Chevrolet. Hill is a 19-time NASCAR winner, the 2020 Truck Series regular season champion and the 2023 Xfinity Series regular season champion. The 30-year-old made his inaugural Championship 4 appearance in 2024 and captured his first victory of the 2025 Xfinity Series season in February to secure another Playoff run.
United Rentals is not only a long-time supporter of Austin, but of our sport, said Mike Verlander, president of RCR. They have consistently and strategically used their partnerships to showcase their position as a leader in the equipment rental industry.
We are proud to represent their brand once again this season and to have Austin back in the No. 33 Chevrolet. Our Xfinity Series program is designed to develop talent among drivers and crew members, and we are showcasing that progress.
Before being promoted to the Cup Series program, Street spent the last three seasons as crew chief of Hill and the No. 21 Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series. Together, the duo advanced to the Playoffs each year and earned a total of 10 victories, including three consecutive in the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway.
Street, a 20-year veteran of the Welcome, North Carolina-based company, is the winningest crew chief at RCR in the past three years.
Hill will compete in a total of five races, all carrying the United Rentals colors.
- April 6, Darlington Raceway
- July 6, Chicago Street Course
- August 23, Daytona (Fla.) Intl Speedway
- September 13, Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway
- October 19, Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway
Hill is currently fourth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings on the strength of a win at Atlanta Motor Speedway earlier this year.
The Columbus Blue Jackets activated center Sean Monahan from injured reserve Monday after a 28-game absence.
Coach Dean Evason confirmed that the 30-year-old veteran will return to the lineup for Monday's game at the New York Islanders, his first action since sustaining a sprained right wrist on Jan. 7.
Monahan tallied 41 points (14 goals, 27 assists) in 41 games before the injury. He is in his first season with the Blue Jackets after signing a five-year, $27.5 million deal in July.
Monahan has 579 points (258 goals, 321 assists) in 805 career games with the Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens, Winnipeg Jets and Blue Jackets. Calgary drafted him with the No. 6 overall pick in 2013.
Lamine Yamal hits back at Rafael van der Vaart after Spain win
Lamine Yamal has quipped back at Rafael van der Vaart's "pants down" jibe after helping Spain beat Netherlands in Sunday's UEFA Nations League quarterfinal.
Yamal scored Spain's third goal in a pulsating 3-3 draw at Valencia's Mestalla stadium, with La Roja going on to win on penalties and set up a semifinal against France in June.
The 17-year-old missed his penalty in the shootout, but he still took to social media after the game to respond to former Dutch international Van der Vaart, who had criticised him for his attitude and for wearing his shorts low before the game.
"Shorts down, a goal, a missed penalty and INTO THE SEMIFINAL, COME ON SPAIN!" the Barcelona winger wrote on Instagram.
Yamal's post included a series of photos, one featuring Van der Vaart's face alongside an image of him walking off the pitch after the win with his shorts pulled lower than normal.
"I see things that are starting to bother me a little," Van der Vaart said about Yamal after the first leg, a 2-2 in Rotterdam last Thursday.
"Pants a little lower, not making much of an effort, slightly superficial gestures.
"That's when I think: if you're that young, you should be happy with every minute you play for Spain. No matter how good you are, at that age, you have to prove it every minute and in every game."
Despite his age, Yamal has never shied away from responding to criticism from senior or retired players.
He told Adrien Rabiot to "speak now" and "checkmate" after knocking France out of the European Championship last summer following comments made by the midfielder pre-match.
Yamal experienced some nervous moment in the shootout against Netherlands after seeing his spot kick saved by Bart Verbruggen.
However, Unai Simón kept out Donyell Malen's penalty and Pedri then scored the winning kick to send Spain into the semifinals.
"I said to him 'What a s--t penalty," Barça midfielder Pedri joked of his message to Yamal after his miss.
"But no, you learn from these situations. He is not affected by pressure and you have to take a penalty to miss one.
"His calmness has always surprised us. It's as if pressure doesn't exist for him when you see the ease with which he dribbles and how he plays. He's someone we have to take care of and, above all, enjoy."
Pedri and Yamal are part of a group of Barça players who now face a quick turnaround as they race back to their club for Thursday's rearranged LaLiga fixture against Osasuna.
"We are a little tired, but we're Barça, if they say we have to play Thursday we will, and we will give everything to win LaLiga," Pedri added.
The game could be decisive in the title race. Barça are currently tied at the top of the table with Real Madrid, four points clear of Atlético Madrid, but have this game in hand.
However, they are likely to be without Ronald Araújo and Raphinha on Thursday, with both players in action on Tuesday in South America in World Cup qualifying games.
The club's other international players should all be back in time, with Spain's Under-21 side allowing Fermín López, Pablo Torre and Gerard Martín to return to their club early and miss Tuesday's game against Germany.
Chelsea will have to pay Manchester United a fee of 5 million ($6.5m) if they back out of the deal to sign Jadon Sancho permanently this summer, a source has told ESPN.
Sancho is on loan at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have an obligation to make the move permanent for a fee of 25m if they finish higher than 14th in the Premier League.
Chelsea are fourth in the table with nine games to go, meaning the condition is likely to be met. However, there is a clause in the agreement with United which would allow Chelsea to send Sancho back to Old Trafford if they pay a penalty of 5m.
Sources close to Chelsea have played down the possibility that Sancho could return to United.
However, the 24-year-old has been in and out of Enzo Maresca's team so far this season, scoring twice in 28 appearances.
Sancho hasn't found the net since the 4-3 win over Tottenham in December. Sources close to United have told ESPN they are relaxed about the situation.
Sancho's return would give the club a headache while they also try to offload Antony and Marcus Rashford.
Like Sancho, both Antony and Rashford are both currently on loan at Real Betis and Aston Villa, respectively.
Head coach Ruben Amorim sanctioned the departures of both Antony and Rashford in January. He's not yet worked with Sancho, who left before the 40-year-old's arrival to replace Erik ten Hag in November.
A source has told ESPN that Amorim will get the final say on Sancho's future if the winger returns, but that the most likely scenario remains a permanent exit in the summer.
Information from ESPN's James Olley contributed to this report.
Club World Cup: Alajuelense blasts Concacaf for backing León
Costa Rican team Liga Deportiva Alajuelense has criticized Concacaf president Victor Montagliani after he expressed his full support for Club León in their legal fight against FIFA for being removed from the 2025 Club World Cup.
Due to the tournament's strict multi-ownership rules, FIFA ruled that two Grupo Pachuca teams could not compete in the same edition. The general secretary chose to remove Club León from the Club World Cup, leaving Pachuca as Grupo Pachuca's sole representative.
Alajuelense originally reported the incident to the court for arbitration of sport, TAS, leading FIFA to take action.
Now, Montagliani has said Concacaf will support Club León in the legal fight to restore their place in the tournament.
"This is a legal process. Grupo Pachuca has the possibility to go to TAS on this if they want, I don't know what will happen," Montagliani told TUDN. "We will respect the process, but for me as president of Concacaf I support León. They won the [2023] Champions Cup on the field. And for us, we hope at the end of this legal process we see Club León at the 2025 Club World Cup."
Alajuelense publicly criticized the Concacaf president, labeling his actions as a "violation of neutrality."
"The declarations of the Concacaf president constitute a serious violation to the duty of neutrality, the principle of impartiality, and institutional loyalty."
Alajuelense joins the list as one of the many Concacaf teams to claim they deserve León's place in the tournament due to football merits. FIFA, however, will announce a replacement in due time.
The organization has provided no hints as to which team or league would be considered as a potential participant.
Club León originally earned a ticket to the tournament when lifting the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup, before Pachuca lifted the same trophy in 2024 to join the list of Club World Cup participants.
The tournament kicks off on June 14 as Inter Miami faces Al Ahly FC at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
Have injuries ruined the season for Man City, Arsenal, others?
It seems like injuries are having an unprecedented impact on Premier League football this season, and the sight of a player limping off has become common. Hamstrings seem to be pinging left and right -- and, increasingly, those hamstring injuries seem to be worse than a typical two-week strain -- while knee and foot injuries have also become more frequent.
This has affected clubs' ability to operate as intended. Some are up to double-digit centre-back combinations for the campaign, constantly adjusting to fresh ailments, while others have had position groups wiped out simultaneously. But though this seems to be the rule for so many, every rule has its exceptions. A handful of teams have dodged injuries almost entirely, and it's perhaps no coincidence that those teams have enjoyed successful seasons -- largely at the expense of the teams who have suffered.
We've analyzed how the Premier League title race and battle for the Champions League spots have been affected by injuries. For each club, we picked what we believe to be the manager's strongest XI and tracked how many matchday squads those players have missed due to injury. We then assessed how the manager coped with those absences, digging into the team's preparation, the quality of depth at their disposal and the timing of the injuries, establishing a context for how it impacted the club.
All statistics referenced are for Premier League only and clubs are listed in the order they appear in the league table.
Liverpool: 1st, 70 points from 29 games
First-choice XI
GK: Alisson Becker
DF: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konaté, Virgil van Dijk, Andrew Robertson
MF: Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai
FW: Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, Luis Díaz
Matchday squads missed combined: 16
Major injuries to note (games missed): Jota (8), Alisson (8), Konaté (6)
Players who missed 2 or fewer matchday squads: 8
Key takeaways
Liverpool have done a magnificent job of largely avoiding injuries this season. As ESPN's Beth Lindop revealed, the club have gone to great measures to track their players' fitness in 2024-25 -- a feat worth commending, as keeping a clean bill of health feels almost impossible now. Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Mohamed Salah -- arguably the three pillars of this team -- have started every Premier League game; Andrew Robertson and Luis Díaz have made every matchday squad; Dominik Szoboszlai and Trent Alexander-Arnold have missed just one game because of injury.
That is a phenomenal availability record.
However, there have been issues. Goalkeeper Alisson has missed eight games, no massive surprise given his injury record. In the defence, Ibrahima Konaté missed six, though the overlap between him and Alisson was only two games.
Further up the pitch, Diogo Jota looked like Arne Slot's pick as first-choice No. 9 early in the season, but an injury severely disrupted his campaign. They haven't pushed him since his return.
Depth chart
Alisson's injury barely impacted the team and that's a credit to their commitment to keep an excellent backup goalkeeper in Caoimhín Kelleher.
Not every top club takes this precaution; others risk a huge drop in quality between their No. 1 and No. 2. If Arsenal lost David Raya or Aston Villa lost Emi Martínez for eight games, there'd be a crisis. When Guglielmo Vicario fractured his ankle in November, Spurs struggled until January and then signed an appropriate backup in Antonin Kinsky.
Losing Jota for a spell hurt the Premier League leaders, but deploying Díaz as a roaming, "almost false No. 9" was a tactical masterstroke from Slot. Konaté was perhaps the most impactful absence, but Liverpool called upon solid depth in Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah, who hasn't missed a squad all season.
Ultimately, the club's few injuries have been dealt with fairly comfortably.
Did the January transfer window help?
No, but it didn't need to. Liverpool did not carry any long-term injury concerns into the window, so they didn't need to act. They spent most of the month linked to a left-back (Milos Kerkez at AFC Bournemouth, Antonee Robinson at Fulham), but that was with quality in mind, not depth.
Arsenal: 2nd, 58 points from 29 games
First-choice XI
GK: David Raya
DF: Jurriën Timber, Gabriel Magalhães, William Saliba, Ben White
MF: Thomas Partey, Declan Rice, Martin Ødegaard
FW: Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli
Matchday squads missed combined: 53
Major injuries to note (games missed): White 15, Saka 13, Ødegaard 8, Calafiori 9, Havertz 7
Players who missed 2 or fewer matchday squads: 5
Key takeaways
Injuries have been the story of Arsenal's season. It began in the summer, when newcomer Mikel Merino fractured his shoulder during his first training session, and it has continued to March, with star forward Bukayo Saka missing the past 13 games because of a torn hamstring.
Midway through the campaign, Ben White had knee surgery, forcing him to miss 15 games. Seven of those overlapped with Saka's absence, leaving Mikel Arteta without two-thirds of his vaunted right-sided combination, seriously harming his team's creative capacity -- and placing far too much strain on Martin Ødegaard, who hasn't looked right since returning from an ankle ligament problem at the start of the season.
In January, Gabriel Jesus tore his ACL, then in February, Kai Havertz injured his hamstring, leaving the club without a recognised senior striker. Starting in mid-February, the Gunners played five consecutive games without any of their first-choice front three because of injury.
Depth chart
On paper, Arsenal have good depth in defence.
Arteta learned from the failed 2023 title charge, which was derailed by William Saliba's injury, and stocked up on players for the back line, meaning White was covered well by Jurriën Timber and Myles Lewis-Skelly could fill in for Riccardo Calafiori. Ideally, Arteta would probably have turned to Takehiro Tomiyasu at points, but he has missed the season because of a knee injury.
Further up the pitch, though, they've struggled to stay afloat. Without Ødegaard on the team, they lacked creativity, while without Saka, they looked low on firepower. Leandro Trossard and teenager Ethan Nwaneri have done their best to fill in, and Merino has stepped in as a No. 9 to solve a crisis. It has been just enough to keep them comfortably in second place behind Liverpool, but hopes of a Premier League title died long ago.
Gab & Juls discuss reports suggesting Real Madrid are interested in signing Martín Zubimendi.
Did the January transfer window help?
No, but it could have. Even before Jesus tore his ACL, there was a wave of demand for Arsenal to sign an established centre-forward in January. But apart from briefly thinking about signing Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa, nothing seemed to happen -- then, two weeks after the window shut, Havertz went down, too.
There was also an option to recall Fabio Vieira from his loan at FC Porto, perhaps alleviating some of the creative burden on Ødegaard, but the club decided against it. Vieira hasn't been a surefire starter for the Dragão this term, but it might have been worth a shot.
Nottingham Forest: 3rd, 54 points from 29 games
First-choice XI
GK: Matz Sels
DF: Neco Williams, Murillo, Nikola Milenkovic, Ola Aina
MF: Danilo, Elliot Anderson; Anthony Elanga, Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi
FW: Chris Wood
Matchday squads missed combined: 29
Major injuries to note (games missed): Danilo (22), Hudson-Odoi (3), Gibbs-White (2)
Players who missed 2 or fewer matchday squads: 9
Key takeaways
Nottingham Forest are the only club on this list who do not have midweek European commitments (yet), which has been a big factor in avoiding injuries. Just one serious injury -- Danilo's broken ankle -- has genuinely impacted their first team, and even that came in the opening game of the season. Other than that, Callum Hudson-Odoi has missed a handful of games, Morgan Gibbs-White sat out a couple, Murillo missed one ... and that's about it.
Six of Nuno Espírito Santo's preferred first XI have not missed a matchday squad this season because of injury, a list that notably includes 18-goal Chris Wood, who is powering their Champions League dreams.
Depth chart
Forest have great depth at the position that has been hit by injury this season. Danilo is a good player and it was a blow to lose him, but between Ryan Yates (1,543 minutes played) and Nicolás Domínguez (1,399 minutes played), they've replaced him without skipping a beat. Both have complemented Elliot Anderson in the centre very well.
Did the January transfer window help?
No, but it didn't need to. Forest's only movement was players leaving on loan, or in James Ward-Prowse's case, having his loan terminated despite Danilo's injury.
The Tricky Trees are barely a year removed from receiving a Premier League points deduction for breaching profit and sustainability rules. It was probably best to have a quiet winter anyway.
Chelsea: 4th, 49 points from 29 games
First-choice XI
GK: Robert Sánchez
DF: Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella
MF: Romeo Lavia, Enzo Fernández, Moisés Caicedo
FW: Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson
Matchday squads missed combined: 53
Major injuries to note (games missed): Lavia (15), Fofana (13), James (12), Badiashile (12), Jackson (5)
Players who missed 2 or fewer matchday squads: 6
Key takeaways
Chelsea's number of first XI injuries (53) is the same as Arsenal's, and that's not the only parallel: The Blues and the Gunners have been hit hard in particular positions throughout the season.
Centre-back has been a bit of a revolving door next to Levi Colwill, and it was unfortunate that first-choice striker Nicolas Jackson and backup Marc Guiu went down at the same time. Reece James' long-standing physical issues have not gone away and Roméo Lavia has endured a second consecutive injury-plagued campaign.
There have been some constants, though. Enzo Maresca has always called upon Marc Cucurella, Moisés Caicedo and until, last weekend, Cole Palmer. Colwill has missed just one game due to ailments, while Enzo Fernández has missed just two.
Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens react to Chelsea signing Geovany Quenda and Dario Essugo from Sporting in deals worth up to $81 million.
Depth chart
This is where having a massive squad -- plus a little bit of experience in dealing with injury-prone players -- can come in handy.
Chelsea are aware that James is unreliable, so they brought in Malo Gusto in 2023 to ensure that right-back was properly covered. Wesley Fofana has also missed time, having sustained serious ACL and hamstring injuries since joining the club, but the Blues have stocked the squad with several quality center backs to turn to in reserve.
That planning was severely lacking up front, though. Again, similar to Arsenal, some fans are not convinced that Jackson is the answer at No. 9 and believe he should at least be challenged by another natural, senior striker. Chelsea disagreed but were proven wrong, as Jackson's injury has forced midfielders Christopher Nkunku and Pedro Neto to fill in up top.
Did the January transfer window help?
No. The Blues' January actions actually hindered the team.
It was curious to watch the club farm out valuable depth during the window and make few corresponding moves to bring back players. João Félix, Axel Disasi, Renato Veiga, Cesare Casadei, Carney Chukwuemeka and Ben Chilwell all departed. None were key players, but the first three each played more than 900 minutes in all competitions in the first half of the season.
In recent weeks, as fatigue has set in, the Conference League games have stacked up and injuries have mounted, Maresca might be wishing he had some of those players back. Instead, Félix is enjoying life at AC Milan, Disasi is shining at Aston Villa and Chukwuemeka is turning heads at Borussia Dortmund.
Manchester City: 5th, 48 points from 29 games
First-choice XI
GK: Éderson
DF: Rico Lewis, Manuel Akanji, Rúben Dias, Josko Gvardiol
MF: Rodri, Ilkay Gündogan, Phil Foden
FW: Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland, Savinho
Matchday squads missed combined: 51*
Major injuries to note (games missed): Rodri (26), Dias (11), Ederson (6)
Players who missed 2 or fewer matchday squads: 6
Janusz Michallik assesses Man City's Champions League hopes after their draw vs. Brighton.
Key takeaways
This conversation can start in only one place: Rodri. The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner has missed all but a sliver of this Premier League campaign because of an ACL injury, and though Man City initially appeared to be coping in his absence, performances and results soon regressed.
What didn't help during this period was the centre-back corps were wracked by injuries, too. Defensive leader Rúben Dias has missed 11 games, John Stones 14, Nathan Aké 12, and Manuel Akanji seven. When you put it like that, it's no wonder they've conceded more goals (40) than any other City side under Guardiola -- and there are still nine games to play!
Goalkeeper Éderson has also missed some time, and midfielders Jack Grealish, Jérémy Doku and Phil Foden have dealt with injuries, too.
There have been some positives, though. Joško Gvardiol, Bernardo Silva and Rico Lewis have avoided injury, while Erling Haaland has missed just one game.
Depth chart
The step down from Rodri -- no matter who fills in -- is massive. He has not only proven irreplaceable in central midfield, but his absence has exposed flaws in other areas of the team that perhaps even Pep had not seen. Mateo Kovacic is about as good a backup as you can get, but after a while, even he struggled to cover the space required to play the "Rodri role" to a high level.
Four good senior centre-backs should be enough for a top club to survive a season, but with so many of them injured at the same time, City often had just two to call upon.
Stefan Ortega is a fine stand-in for Éderson, but losing Doku and Grealish simultaneously was a problem -- especially given Oscar Bobb has missed the season because of a broken leg -- as it forced Matheus Nunes to play as a winger for a spell.
Did the January transfer window help?
Yes, massively. After probably not being active enough last summer, signing just two players, they corrected things during the winter, signing four players for 29 million or more each. That also helped offset the departure of veteran Kyle Walker, who joined AC Milan.
Centre-backs Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis were both acquired and integrated into the first team, reinforcing how hard City had been hit at that position. The former has already eclipsed 500 league minutes with Stones, Akanji and Aké currently injured.
Omar Marmoush was bought for big money after a stunning 18 months at Eintracht Frankfurt, and he has carried his positivity and good form into the attack, scoring four goals in six starts. Then, on deadline day, City brought in Nico Gonzalez as their Rodri replacement. A 60m arrival from FC Porto, he's the closest they could get to the Ballon d'Or winner in terms of profile: strong, good on the ball, tactically astute and capable of covering the required ground.
Nico has already had some really strong performances -- most notably in the 4-0 destruction of Newcastle United -- which suggests Rodri has, finally, been appropriately backed up.
Shaping the league's Champions League and title chase
On one hand, Liverpool's injury prevention has been worth celebrating, as it has helped them keep a consistent XI and all of their key players on the pitch. But on the other, it's arguable this clean bill of health has partially backfired because Slot has leaned heavily on such a small group, they're now exhausted, leading to a sluggish exit from the Champions League and a Carabao Cup final loss within days.
Take a look at how a staggering 11 English teams could potentially play in Europe's top three competitions next season.
Arsenal have been hit so hard that they're probably too far adrift of the Reds to give them a real scare over the final nine games. The same can also be said for City, who are even further back, and it's possible the scale of their injury difficulties hasn't been appreciated in full. It's just as easy to explain away the Gunners' lack of goals (the forwards are injured) as it is City allowing them (the centre-backs are injured).
Forest have clearly enjoyed the best of both worlds: just one major injury that proved barely noticeable due to their ability to cover it, and most crucially, no midweek European action to strain the first-choice players. Nuno has done a phenomenal job with this team, but he has also benefited from good injury fortune in a way that, say, Brighton have not.
Chelsea's situation is perhaps the most curious. They're vastly experienced in covering for injuries and built a huge squad to cover them, only to loan or move out much of that depth at the halfway point and leave themselves short heading into February.
Injuries have played a major role in shaping the Premier League's top five this season. It's no coincidence that Liverpool and Forest have had successful seasons powered by a healthy squad, while Arsenal, City and Chelsea's struggles can be sourced, to varying degrees, to their busy treatment rooms.
What's behind Liverpool's slump as Premier League run-in looms?
Deep in the bowels of Wembley Stadium in the aftermath of Liverpool's Carabao Cup final defeat, Harvey Elliott winced as he hobbled toward the exit.
The midfielder had been on the receiving end of a robust challenge from Newcastle United's Joelinton in the dying stages of his team's dismal 2-1 defeat, and his battle-weary state embodied an eight-day spell that had left Liverpool both physically and mentally spent.
It was a week that had initially promised so much. Head coach Arne Slot had described the visit of Southampton to Anfield on March 8 as "the first of three cup finals" for his side. After a poor first-half performance against the Premier League's lowest-ranked team, Liverpool battled to a 3-1 victory that edged the club ever closer to a 20th league title.
Only three days later, however, and the mood on Merseyside was decidedly less celebratory as Liverpool crashed out of the Champions League on penalties following Paris Saint-Germain's 1-0 victory at Anfield. Slot's side had weathered the mightiest of storms to come away with a 1-0 win in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie at the Parc des Princes, but in the reverse fixture, they were given a taste of their own medicine as PSG soaked up the pressure following a fortuitous early goal from Ousmane Dembélé.
It was a tie that had teetered on a knife's edge, but when Désiré Doué hammered home the winning spot kick following penalty misses from Reds stars Darwin Núñez and Curtis Jones, it was hard to argue PSG didn't deserve to progress. Liverpool's misery was then compounded five days later when they helped deliver Newcastle's first domestic trophy in 70 years with an abject performance at Wembley.
After last weekend's match, Slot dismissed the suggestion that the opposition's appetite for silverware had been the deciding factor. But if it was not Newcastle's hunger that gave them the edge, then what was behind Liverpool's jaded performance against Eddie Howe's side? Could it simply be that Slot's team -- who have been a well-oiled machine for much of the campaign -- are now running out of gas?
Liverpool's 12-point cushion at the top of the Premier League table with nine games remaining means only an almighty collapse would see them surrender the title from here. However, in recent weeks, there have been alarming parallels with the second half of the 2023-24 season, when Liverpool's campaign imploded spectacularly. Slot's side must ensure they do not let history repeat itself when they return to action next month.
Liverpool in need of a refresh
Against Newcastle, Liverpool were second best all over the pitch. Though they dominated possession, they were bullied by the opposition, winning just 42% of their duels. Contrast this with Liverpool's slick display in the 2-0 Premier League win over Newcastle in February -- when the Reds won 55.2% of their duels -- and it is clear there was a distinct lack of tenacity and grit on show at Wembley.
This dropoff is even more pronounced when you home in on aerial duels, which Slot pinpointed as one of the key aspects of last weekend's contest.
"This game went exactly the way [Newcastle] wanted it to be: a fight with a lot of duels and a lot of duels through the air," the Dutchman said after the game. "And if we play 10 times a game of football through the air against them, they win it probably nine times because they are a stronger team through the air than us."
In the last league meeting between the two sides, though, it was Newcastle who came up short in the air, winning just 35.7% of their aerial duels. It was clearly an area Howe's side sought to improve in the Carabao Cup final, when they won 68%.
In the midfield, too, there was a stark contrast in the teams' dynamism. Liverpool's starting midfield trio of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch all deserve consideration for the Premier League team of the season, but they were outfought in the middle of the park at Wembley. Gravenberch won 42.9% of his duels, Szoboszlai 37.5% and Mac Allister just 16.7%. By comparison, Joelinton and Bruno Guimarães -- who anchored Newcastle's midfield superbly -- won 75% and 64.3% of their duels, respectively.
Perhaps it was simply a bad day at the office for the Liverpool engine room, but it is worth noting the significant increase in their respective workloads this term.
As of March 17 in the 2023-24 season, Mac Allister, Gravenberch and Szoboszlai had played a combined total of 6,309 minutes for their club. This season, that number has increased to a combined 9,480 minutes, with Gravenberch's contributions having almost doubled from 1,839 to 3,516. Sooner or later, those extra miles on the clock are bound to have an impact.
"I think it's pretty straightforward: they're just running out of legs," former Liverpool defender and ESPN analyst Steve Nicol said. "From my point of view, last year was different because they had so many injuries.
"They had everyone back for the end of the season, but there's a difference between getting players back and having them be match fit. Mohamed Salah was probably the best example of that last year when he came back from a hamstring injury. These past couple of weeks, they just look like they've run out of legs. Newcastle have played nine games less than Liverpool this season, and if you look at that as nine free midweeks, it shows how relentless Liverpool's schedule has been. That catches up with you."
One of Slot's greatest successes at Anfield has been his ability to keep injuries to a minimum. Across his three seasons at previous club Feyenoord Rotterdam, Slot was able to keep player availability levels above 90%, with highly rated head of performance Ruben Peeters following the Dutchman to Merseyside.
Under Slot and Peeters, a huge emphasis is placed on the "body wake-up" process, which involves early-morning yoga and hydrotherapy sessions. Players are now required to spend more time at the training centre, arriving early to eat breakfast together and spending more time in the gym following tailored individual programs. But while those tweaks have paid dividends, only Nottingham Forest (23) have used fewer players than Liverpool (24) in the Premier League this season. Slot's team now looks in desperate need of a refresh.
Midfielders Elliott and Wataru Endō, both of whom have largely excelled when called upon this term, have not started a league match under Slot. Forward Federico Chiesa -- who, excluding on-loan goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, was Liverpool's only signing last summer -- has played just 25 minutes in the top flight.
A lack of faith in those fringe players has arguably cost Slot dearly in recent weeks as his tried-and-trusted mainstays have faded off the back of a rigorous few months. However, it's not the first time Liverpool have encountered a slump in the decisive part of the season.
Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens praise Newcastle's midfield as the difference in their 2-1 win over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.
History repeating itself
In mid-March last season, Liverpool were flying high on all fronts. Under Jürgen Klopp, the Reds were level on points with Premier League leaders Arsenal and, having already lifted the Carabao Cup, were being touted by some as potential Quadruple winners after reaching the quarterfinals of both the FA Cup and Europa League. However, in the space of little more than a month, Liverpool crashed out of both cup competitions and fell away badly in the title race, ultimately finishing nine points adrift of eventual champions Manchester City.
Injuries had played their part. According to the Premier Injuries website, Liverpool had 21 different players sidelined over the course of that campaign. Only Tottenham Hotspur (22) suffered more. While Liverpool's injury crisis did ease in the final months of the campaign, several of the returning players -- including Szoboszlai, Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold -- failed to recover their best form.
"There are different aspects, definitely," Klopp said, reflecting on his team's decline after a 2-0 defeat to Everton in April. "Players who played all the games are not that fresh, but that is for other teams the same.
"I don't want to use that as an excuse, really -- as long as the boys are fit, not injured, that helps. ... Coming back from injury obviously is then slightly different, because of the intensity -- the game is not waiting for you."
Liverpool's dropoff last season is evidenced by their average points per game. In the first 28 games of last term, the Reds recorded 2.29 PPG, which dropped to 1.8 PPG in the last 10 games of the campaign. So far this season, Liverpool are tracking at 2.41 PPG, while second-place Arsenal are at 2.0 PPG and third-place Nottingham Forest 1.86 PPG.
Liverpool's impressive body of work up until this point -- coupled with their rivals' inconsistencies -- means any slip-ups in the coming weeks may not prove detrimental. But if Slot's side allow the hangover from their disappointing March to carry into the remainder of the season, what has long appeared a procession to the title runs the risk of becoming a weary trek toward the finish line.
Liverpool still on cusp of history
After the Carabao Cup final, Slot admitted he would have liked his players to be given the chance to provide a quick response to their disappointing week. Instead, Liverpool have been afforded a 17-day break between their Wembley heartbreak and the Merseyside derby with Everton on April 2.
The international break and upcoming round of FA Cup fixtures -- Liverpool were knocked out of the competition by Plymouth Argyle in the fourth round -- means the Reds' recent frustrations have been given ample opportunity to fester. But if change is as good as rest, then the fact that the majority of Slot's players have been called up to represent their national teams might actually prove conducive to breaking them out of their funk, allowing for a mental reset ahead of the final block of league games.
"At this stage of the season, it's all about the mentality," said Nicol, who won four league titles across his 13 years at Anfield. "If that means you don't play quite as open, attractive football as you normally would, that's OK.
"This is the time of the year when it's not about how good you are, it's about getting it done and winning the games. It's up to the manager and his staff now to change the atmosphere a little bit. Everyone will obviously be a bit down, but maybe the international break came at a good time, giving players the chance to get away for a bit and get the cobwebs away."
Luis Miguel Echegaray explains why he believes the top of the Premier League table is the best it's ever been.
Contrasts in players' schedules means downtime in the coming weeks will differ, though a source told ESPN there will be time off built into everyone's schedule to allow for some physical recuperation.
Arsenal can reach a maximum of 85 points this term, so Liverpool need just 16 points from a possible 27 to clinch the title. Considering Mikel Arteta's side have not won more than three league games in a row this this season -- and they still must travel to Anfield on May 10 -- it is likely Liverpool's margin for error will be even greater, though Slot will of course be keen to avoid his players slipping into that mindset.
"Like I said from the start, it took us seven, eight [or] nine months to lose twice in a row, and that happens against two teams; one of them is fighting for Champions League, Newcastle is a very good team [and] we knew this already at St. James' Park, and the other one is Paris Saint-Germain," Slot said last week.
"I want to make clear one more time that the week started off really well by us beating Southampton. That's why we extended our lead to 12 points [in the Premier League] with nine games to go."
While recent performances have invited criticism, Slot is right to try to accentuate the positives. Liverpool remain on the cusp of achieving an extraordinary feat; yielding what would be only a second league title in more than three decades for the Merseyside club, a reality that seemed inconceivable on the eve of this season as Liverpool prepared to embark on a new era without the galvanizing presence of serial winner Klopp.
This is still very much a team molded in the German's image, and this summer promises to be a big one at Anfield, with the futures of key players Salah, Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk, plus reserve goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher and others, still up in the air and the club poised to be busy in the transfer market after consecutive quiet windows. Before then, though, Liverpool have a job to do. The past few weeks have proved Slot's side are not infallible and have shown their head coach -- contrary to how it has seemed for much of the season -- is not beyond reproach, either.
But Liverpool have defied expectation this term to establish themselves leaders of arguably the most competitive league in the world. Now they must banish the ghosts of last season and show exactly why they deserve to be there.
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