I don't know how people come to that conclusion but it's for sure a misconception and it bugs me because it's completely false. That season we had the follwing players missing;
Alisson - 8 games + 1 banned
Matip - 20 games
Lovren - 11 games
Fab - 8 games
Keita - 9 games
Hendo - 7 games
Ox - 4 games
Milner - 11 games
Salah - 1 game
Shaqiri - 20 games
Combined total league games missed - 100
It's strange that a lot of rival fans jump to the conclussion we won the league that year because we apparently had barely any injuries, yet completely disregard us not winning the league last season being down to having an insane amount of injuries. Yet despite having a bigger injury crisis than any of the so called "top" teams have suffered for a long time, we put up a better fight than any of the other "top" teams have managed over recent years.
Like all the others who claim it, he means no injuries to specifically Alisson, VVD, and Salah, not Lovren Keita and Shaqiri. Alisson was injured in the first half of the first game of the season!
The current squad has strength in depth in goal, centre back, and upfront. Less so in midfield. I think the Afcon is a landmine in terms of us winning the league, or even the cup, it was in 2017. If we survive that without much damage, we have the platform to kick on from there.
I totally understand why it's said, and it's hard to argue otherwise, but I don't think the players at the Afcon would appreciate people saying they "hope" they get knocked out. Nobody wants it played when it is, but that's not their fault. It's still as important to them as the Euros and the Copa America is, to the players who play in those tournaments instead.
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