Matt Stanger picks five players whose imminent returns to action could be a telling factor in the title race. Will Didier Drogba make a telling contribution or is Theo Walcott this season's key returning star?
Monday 13 October 2014 14:01, UK
Didier Drogba
The biggest encouragement to Chelsea's rivals in the title race is the Blues' over-reliance on Diego Costa. The 26-year-old leads the scoring chart with nine goals, but is bound to need a rest at some stage after Jose Mourinho admitted he is hardly training, owing to a nagging hamstring injury.
This is where Drogba comes in. Despite his 36 years, the Ivorian potentially offers a similar threat to Costa in his strength and hold-up play, unlike Loic Remy. The question is whether he is fit enough to replicate his influence in the dressing room on the pitch.
An ankle injury sustained in September will keep Drogba out for another week, but Mourinho will then hope the striker can step into Costa's shoes. Things didn't exactly go to plan when Drogba replaced the Brazilian in the 1-1 draw against Schalke, and it's vital that the man who hit Chelsea's Champions League-winning penalty in 2012 is soon up to speed.
Strikers win games but defenders win titles, or so the saying goes, which leaves Manchester United's hopes of reclaiming the Premier League crown in considerable doubt. Only six clubs have conceded more goals than United thus far, with injuries leaving Louis van Gaal with a defensive headache. "I want my defensive organisation to be better but the defence begins in the striker's position," said Van Gaal last week.
"It's teamwork, so when we concede a goal it's not only because of an individual error from the defence. It starts somewhere else and that is what we have to analyse and improve."
While the manager might want his midfield to provide more protection to the back four, he will also be looking for Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans to improve the team's performances when they return from the sidelines.
Jones in particular is facing a pivotal season. By now, there isn't much hope remaining that Smalling - who turns 25 in six weeks' time - will ever fulfil the potential Sir Alex Ferguson saw in him, but Jones has more time on his side. The 22-year-old can finally enjoy a run at centre-half - as long as he stays fit - and it is now up to him to prove he can lead a title-challenging defence.
Nasri's absence appears to have slipped under the radar, which is strange considering his contribution in Manchester City's title success last season. The 27-year-old scored seven goals and provided seven assists in the Premier League, before things turned sour when he was omitted from France's World Cup squad and then suffered a groin injury at the start of the current campaign.
After undergoing surgery, Nasri is expected to be out for another month, which comes as a significant blow to Manuel Pellegrini. "Of course he's a very important player for us," said the manager. "It's not easy for us not to play with Samir."
City's 1-1 draw with Roma and late win at Aston Villa emphasised the loss of Nasri's subtlety and the playmaker's understanding with David Silva and Sergio Aguero. With Jesus Navas yet to prove a convincing replacement, Nasri's return should provide a timely boost ahead of the busy winter schedule.
It might seem strange to find Allen on a list of key players in the title race - or indeed Liverpool, considering their faltering start - but the midfielder's return from a knee injury could play an important role in the Reds' revival. With Steven Gerrard struggling as a holding midfielder Allen could be the best option to start alongside the captain and act as an 'enabler', allowing the 34-year-old vital space in which to operate.
It's a view shared by Brendan Rodgers, who told the Liverpool Echo recently: "Joe is a player who never gets mentioned but he's a player who rarely turns over the ball. He loves the football and gets other people playing. The key feature for Joe on top of that is the intensity in his pressure. He presses the game very well. He's a very intelligent footballer. Tactically, he's outstanding and we've really missed his energy and his quality since he's been out."
Allen was a regular feature in last season's run-in, playing in 12 of the last 14 matches as Liverpool narrowly missed out on the title, but has only made three appearances in the current campaign. Rodgers has revealed that he should be fit after the international break, however, and the manager will aim to ensure the 24-year-old is the missing link to getting the best out of Gerrard.
Probably the most important player on this list following the news that Mesut Ozil will be out for 10-12 weeks with a knee injury.
Walcott's lengthy absence has coincided with the German receiving intense criticism for his performances, and it was thought that the England forward's recovery could help to bring the best out of his teammate. Ozil's ability to spot a pass is perfectly exploited by Walcott's speed to burst beyond opposition defences but, frustratingly, that combination will now have to wait.
Walcott's direct style should still be a huge benefit to Arsenal in the meantime. The 25-year-old scored five goals and claimed four assists in only 13 Premier League appearances last season, underlining his value to Arsene Wenger's side. With Walcott set to return to full training following the international break, Wenger will hope that it won't be long until he's fully fit to fire Arsenal through a packed schedule of 13 matches in November and December.
