Man City and Arsenal suffer injuries that could change title race with Liverpool

Penny for the thoughts of Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta during the international break. Like the respective supporters of their Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal sides, they were no doubt watching from behind their sofas as they saw key players pick up injuries while training and playing for their international teams.

It was the last thing that the managers of the Premier League's current top three needed. As well as the title, the trio have other competitions to navigate during what could prove to be a make-or-break month of fixtures that begins this Sunday when Liverpool host Brighton before City and Arsenal go head-to-head at the Etihad.

The Gunners, who currently lead the way, have two Champions League encounters with Bayern Munich to negotiate, while Pep Guardiola's third-placed side, who are chasing the treble for the second successive season, face Real Madrid in the last eight of European football's premier club competition as well as Chelsea in the semi-finals of the FA Cup. And while Jurgen Klopp's second-placed Reds would seemingly have a better run of fixtures than their title rivals, on paper at least, of the three teams they have the most injury worries, which has been the case for most of the campaign.

So ahead of this weekend's return to action, we take a look at the latest from the treatment rooms at Liverpool, City and Arsenal....

Liverpool

The Reds already had fitness concerns over nine players going into the international break. But while Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Ibrahima Konate all came through unscathed after playing for their countries, Andy Robertson was not so lucky.

The Scotland skipper was forced off 37 minutes into the 1-0 home defeat to Northern Ireland, for whom Robertson's Liverpool team-mate Conor Bradley scored the winner with his first international goal. The left-back clearly looked in pain when he went down holding his ankle and Reds boss Klopp will be hoping one of his key men has not sustained another serious injury. Robertson, remember, was out for three months after hurting his shoulder while playing for Scotland in October.

Unlike Konate, Gakpo and Diaz, Darwin Nunez was withdrawn from international duty after picking up a knock in the heartbreaking 4-3 FA Cup defeat at Manchester United on March 17. But it is hoped that the striker will be back fit for Sunday's visit of Brighton to Anfield. Curtis Jones is another player who could return to face the Seagulls, but it would appear that match will come a little too soon for Trent-Alexander Arnold and Diogo Jota, who are said to have been making good progress in their recoveries.

Mystery still surrounds the condition of first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker and while it appears Stefan Bajcetic is edging closer to full fitness, he is unlikely to be rushed back even when he is. Long-term injury victims Thiago Alcantara, Joel Matip and Ben Doak make up the rest of the 10 players the Reds currently have concerns over.

Manchester City

While City do not have as many injuries as Liverpool, they have picked up two big ones over the past week. Firstly, Kyle Walker pulled up with a hamstring problem in England's 1-0 defeat to Brazil at Wembley on Saturday. And then on Tuesday, fellow defender John Stones lasted just nine minutes before limping off in the Three Lions' 2-2 home draw with Belgium. Guardiola is well stocked at the back, but ahead of a defining run of games, he can ill-afford to lose two of the first names on his team-sheet.

Another, Kevin De Bruyne, was left out of the Belgium squad after sustaining a groin injury, while No.1 goalkeeper Ederson is still recovering from the hamstring problem he picked up in the thrilling draw at Anfield on March 10.

Matheus Nunes, meanwhile, returned from injury to play for Portugal last week, while fears that Erling Haaland had sustained an injury while training for Norway were swiftly squashed

Arsenal

Bukayo Saka, arguably Arsenal's most important player, handed Arteta a major scare when he was withdrawn from the England squad before their friendlies with Brazil and Belgium. It was said the winger was suffering from a minor muscle issue.

Another key Gunners attacking talent, Gabriel Martinelli, missed their two matches before the international break. Neither he or defender Gabriel Magalhaes, who has a foot problem, were named in the Brazil squad as a result.

Jurrien Timber is Arsenal's one long-term injury problem.