Spread across the 20 teams were a combined 764 injuries, which Marsh said was the most in the last eight years. According to the major insurance broker and risk adviser, the bulk of the total came from Manchester United at 63 injuries.
In terms of injury costs, however, it was the other Manchester side that saw the biggest hit. The index shows Manchester City incurred in excess of £26.3 million (around AU$46.7 million) for its 44 injuries last season.
“As football’s popularity continues to rise, top level clubs have even more financial fire power and are using extra revenue to attract elite talent with higher wages in a highly competitive global marketplace,” commented Lennox Batten, managing director for special risks at Marsh JLT Specialty.
“The 2018-19 season saw record levels of injuries in the Premier League, notably driven by an abnormally high number of injuries in August and December as a likely consequence of the 2018 World Cup, and a relentless footballing calendar.”
Meanwhile, Batten is not expecting a downward trend costs-wise.
“The fact that injury hit English clubs dominated European competitions last season illustrates just how elite clubs have the ability to continue competing through injury crises,” he noted.
“However, with wages set to continue rising and the footballing calendar remaining as congested as ever, the cost of injuries – effectively the cost of doing business in the game – is likely to keep increasing in the long term.”
Here’s the injury snapshot of last season’s top six:
|
Club |
Points |
Total number of injuries |
Total days out |
Total cost of injuries |
|
1. Manchester City |
98 |
44 |
1,407 |
£26,345,944 |
|
2. Liverpool |
97 |
50 |
1,136 |
£15,153,667 |
|
3. Chelsea |
72 |
50 |
1,014 |
£11,475,608 |
|
4. Tottenham Hotspur |
71 |
61 |
1,652 |
£17,889,083 |
|
5. Arsenal |
70 |
49 |
1,771 |
£24,169,244 |
|
6. Manchester United |
66 |
63 |
1,238 |
£25,171,708 |
