Premier League Gameweek 1 Injury List 2026

For Correct Score Game players, those absences matter. A missing striker, first-choice centre-back or creative midfielder can be enough to change how you see a fixture before submitting your Gameweek 1 prediction.

Here are some of the most important injury situations to watch ahead of the opening weekend.

Arsenal: William Saliba Out, Jurrien Timber Still Recovering

Champions Arsenal begin the new Premier League season at home to Coventry City on Friday, but Mikel Arteta will not have his first-choice defence available.

William Saliba is sidelined with the back injury he suffered during the World Cup and has been ruled out for an extended period.

Jurrien Timber is also recovering from the groin problem that kept him out of the World Cup. Arteta said ahead of the Community Shield that the defender still needed a few weeks before returning to full training.

There is better news elsewhere. Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi were all declared available ahead of Arsenal's 3-0 Community Shield victory over Manchester City.

Prediction impact: Arsenal remain heavy favourites against promoted Coventry, but their defensive absences are worth considering before predicting a clean sheet.

Manchester United: Benjamin Sesko Back in Training

Manchester United have received an important boost ahead of Saturday's trip to promoted Hull City.

Benjamin Sesko has returned to full training after a shin injury disrupted the end of last season and his pre-season preparations.

Defender Matthijs de Ligt has also returned to full training following back surgery in May.

Mason Mount is another player to monitor. The midfielder has been dealing with a foot knock and was absent from training earlier this week.

Prediction impact: Sesko's return would significantly strengthen United's attacking options against Hull, particularly for players considering a comfortable away victory.

Bournemouth: Eli Junior Kroupi Out for Months

One of the biggest confirmed absences of Gameweek 1 belongs to Bournemouth.

Eli Junior Kroupi underwent surgery after suffering a foot injury during the club's pre-season camp in Austria and is expected to be sidelined for around three to four months.

The 20-year-old scored 13 Premier League goals last season, making his absence a considerable blow to the Cherries' attack.

Bournemouth also have defender Julian Araujo unavailable after he underwent surgery on a thigh injury sustained during pre-season.

Their opening assignment could hardly be tougher, with Bournemouth travelling to Manchester City on Sunday.

Prediction impact: Losing a 13-goal attacker before travelling to Manchester City makes an already difficult opening fixture look even tougher for Bournemouth.

Tottenham: James Maddison Fitness Remains a Concern

Tottenham begin Roberto De Zerbi's first Premier League campaign in charge with a home match against Brentford.

James Maddison is among the players whose fitness needs monitoring. The midfielder missed much of last season with a knee injury before returning late in the campaign, but a hip problem has prevented him from featuring during pre-season.

Spurs have also dealt with other injury problems during their preparations, giving De Zerbi some decisions to make before naming his first Premier League starting XI.

Prediction impact: Maddison's availability could make a difference to Tottenham's creativity against Brentford. Check the final team news before committing to a high Spurs goal prediction.

Chelsea Have Fitness Questions Before Fulham

Chelsea do not begin their campaign until Monday night, when they travel across west London to face Fulham.

That gives their fitness concerns a little more recovery time, but there are still players to monitor.

Forward Emmanuel Emegha has been recovering from a hamstring injury, while Chelsea have had additional fitness concerns across the squad during pre-season.

With several days remaining before kick-off, this is one fixture where waiting for the final team news could prove particularly useful.

Prediction impact: Chelsea's extra recovery time makes Monday's line-up difficult to judge this early. Avoid assuming every current doubt will miss the match.

Injuries Could Make Gameweek 1 Harder to Predict

Opening weekends are difficult enough to call without injuries.

Promoted teams are an unknown quantity, new managers are implementing different systems and summer signings are still settling into their squads. Add missing first-team players and Gameweek 1 becomes even less predictable.

The biggest confirmed absences currently include Arsenal defender William Saliba and Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi, while several other players are racing to establish their fitness.

There is also plenty of positive news. Saka and Rice are available for Arsenal, while Sesko's return to Manchester United training could give Michael Carrick another major attacking option.

The picture can still change before the weekend, so checking the latest team news before submitting a prediction is particularly important at this stage of the season.

Make Your Gameweek 1 Predictions

The 2026/27 Premier League season begins when Arsenal host Coventry City on Friday, August 21.

You can predict every Premier League score throughout the season with Correct Score Game.

An exact score earns five points, while you can still collect points for correctly predicting the result or getting close to the final score.

Check the latest team news, decide where the injuries could make a difference and submit your Gameweek 1 predictions before each match kicks off.

Think you know how the opening weekend will go? Make your predictions now on Correct Score Game.

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