Brobbey’s small tear, Szoboszlai’s last-minute call and Xhaka’s calf: Premier League injury news from the international break

The international break is only a few days old, and Premier League clubs already have a list of worries, with Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey now facing a few weeks out with a small tear in his upper leg.

Some players have been sent home, some are staying with their countries and hoping, and one has been given the all-clear. Here is where things stand for the players we know about, club by club, before the league returns on 21 November.

Sunderland: Brobbey and Xhaka both out

Brian Brobbey

The Netherlands announced on Monday that Brian Brobbey and Virgil van Dijk were pulling out of their squad. “Virgil van Dijk and Brian Brobbey aren’t fit enough to feature in the upcoming Nations League matches. No replacements will be called up,” the Dutch FA said.

On Tuesday, Dutch journalist Mounir Boualin reported that the 24-year-old has a small tear in his upper leg and is expected to be out for a few weeks. He will miss the games with Greece on 13 November and Germany on 16 November, and he now looks likely to miss some Sunderland matches as well.

That is a blow for Regis Le Bris. Brobbey was outstanding in the 1-0 win over Chelsea, and he has already had one spell out this season after a hamstring problem at the end of September kept him out for about a month. Sunderland’s next games are away at Aston Villa on 21 November and then Jagiellonia Białystok in the Europa League.

Granit Xhaka

Sunderland’s captain lasted only four minutes against Chelsea before going off, and Switzerland have since withdrawn him from their squad with a calf injury. He misses the Nations League games against Slovenia and Scotland.

Le Bris said after the game: “It looks like a calf injury, but we do not know exactly the timeframe at the minute. It was just the last sprint of the warm-up, that is often the case.” Xhaka had a scan on Monday, and the results have not been made public.

Sunderland are 19th with eight points from ten games, only above Crystal Palace, so losing their captain and their main striker at the same time could hardly come at a worse moment.

Liverpool: Van Dijk rests, Szoboszlai waits

Virgil van Dijk

Van Dijk played the full 90 minutes of the 3-1 win at Crystal Palace on Sunday, then pulled out of the Netherlands squad a day later. Journalist James Pearce has reported that the Liverpool captain has been playing through a minor problem in recent weeks, though the injury itself has not been named.

At 35 he has started 14 of his 15 games this season, so two weeks of rest may be no bad thing, with Manchester United, Everton and Chelsea all among Liverpool’s next four league games.

Dominik Szoboszlai

Szoboszlai picked up a knee sprain at Selhurst Park, and Andoni Iraola admitted afterwards that the midfielder was not feeling 100 per cent. He joined Hungary anyway, had medical tests, and has not been sent back to Liverpool.

Hungary said on Tuesday: “Following his knee sprain, the national team’s medical staff will do everything possible over the coming days to ensure that the team captain is available to the coaching staff as soon as possible. However, a decision on his availability for the match will almost certainly only be made at the last minute.”

Hungary play Georgia on Saturday and Northern Ireland next Tuesday, and they are chasing promotion from League B. Liverpool fans will be nervous: he has already missed five games this season with a hamstring injury picked up after the last break.

Is Gudmundsson fit?

Yes, it seems so. Gabriel Gudmundsson came off at half-time of Leeds‘ win over Tottenham with tightness in his hamstring, and Daniel Farke sent on Melvin Bard rather than take a risk. The left wing-back still flew out to join Sweden, and the news since has been good.

Sweden boss Graham Potter said: “He’s okay. The scan went well, but we need to see him and go through a couple of days of recovery to make sure he’s okay. He will probably be on the pitch with the boys on Wednesday or Thursday. It’s no problem.”

Sweden face Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday and Poland on Tuesday. Gudmundsson has started eight of Leeds’ ten Premier League games this season.

Man City: Guehi stays home

Marc Guehi asked to come off at half-time of City’s 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest, and on Monday he pulled out of the England squad, with Newcastle’s Dan Burn called up in his place. City have confirmed he will stay with the club to get ready for the return of the league, when they face Fulham on 21 November.

Josko Gvardiol was also taken off at half-time at the City Ground after what Enzo Maresca called a “small issue” in the build-up to the game, but he had not withdrawn from Croatia’s squad at the start of the week.

Who has the biggest problem?

Sunderland, and it is not close. Liverpool’s worries could still turn out to be nothing, Leeds have had good news and City have their man back at the training ground. Le Bris, though, could be without his captain and his most dangerous forward for the trip to Villa Park, with his side in the bottom two. If Brobbey’s tear keeps him out for “a few weeks”, the Black Cats will need someone else to find the goals in the busiest part of the season.