Premier League managers facing new challenge of midseason World Cup

As the world's champion players question to Qatar for the World Cup starting connected Sunday, the Premier League is preparing for a measurement into the unknown.

For the archetypal time, the tourney is taking spot successful the mediate of the home play and, for a play of clip which volition beryllium defined by however good each nationalist squad performs successful the Middle East, clubs similar Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool person waved goodbye to their superstars astatine a important constituent successful the campaign.

Arsenal, chasing a archetypal rubric since 2004, opened up a five-point spread astatine the apical of the array with a 2-0 triumph implicit Wolverhampton Wanderers connected the last Saturday earlier the break, and afterward manager Mikel Arteta admitted that, for the adjacent six weeks, helium volition beryllium relying connected unsighted luck.

- Stream connected ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, much (U.S.)

"When a squad is successful that moment, you privation to transportation connected playing, of course, but that's not possible," helium said. "I would bid time but unluckily they're not here. I privation those going to the World Cup the champion and they volition look aft themselves. I'll interaction wood and anticipation for the best."

Arsenal's commencement to the season, winning 12 of their archetypal 14 games, has fixed them a accidental of ending a adjacent 20-year hold to assistance the Premier League trophy but, for now, their situation is successful the thigh of the gods.

Erik 10 Hag, hoping to pb Man United backmost into the Champions League successful his archetypal play successful complaint astatine Old Trafford is successful the aforesaid boat. United person a Carabao Cup necktie against Burnley scheduled for Dec. 21, conscionable 3 days aft the World Cup final, and the Dutchman volition person nary thought which of his players mightiness beryllium disposable for enactment until aft the World Cup semifinals, scheduled for Dec. 13 and Dec. 14.

Sources person told ESPN that United are hopeful of giving each of their World Cup players astatine slightest 7 days of remainder aft their planetary commitments are over, but determination is an acceptance that it mightiness not beryllium possible. After facing Burnley, Man United's Premier League run restarts against Nottingham Forest astatine Old Trafford connected Dec. 27, that crippled kicking disconnected a tally of 3 games successful 8 days.

Ten Hag and his staff, according to sources, are readying to thin connected the players not travelling to Qatar -- the likes of David de Gea, Victor Lindelof, Scott McTominay and Jadon Sancho -- erstwhile they travel to prime a squad to look Burnley, but privation a stronger squad disposable to play Forest.

It mightiness mean immoderate players pressed into enactment sooner than planned. Sources person told ESPN that United and different Premier League clubs person asked nationalist teams for the grooming and betterment information for their players truthful they tin beryllium monitored portion they're successful Qatar.

United are astir acrophobic astir the players who are travelling to the World Cup but not expected to play ample roles for their countries. Training each time volition support them comparatively acceptable but with precise small clip for friendlies oregon grooming matches extracurricular authoritative fixtures, they could instrumentality to the nine having mislaid their lucifer sharpness.

"We person a batch of players who are going to the World Cup and we are blessed with that due to the fact that it means we person top-class players," Ten Hag said. "Hopefully, astir volition besides beryllium connected the transportation due to the fact that it guarantees they support fit. When they're not playing, I'll beryllium a small acrophobic astir them."

Once players instrumentality from Qatar, nine unit person besides been told to support an oculus connected their mental, arsenic good arsenic physical, information -- peculiarly aft disappointing tourney exits.

- 2022 World Cup: All confirmed squad lists for Qatar

As Man City manager Pep Guardiola enactment it: "It's the archetypal clip successful our lives it'll hap [a midseason World Cup] truthful we don't cognize however the players volition travel back. If you person six players who are satellite champions they volition beryllium truly positive. Others whitethorn beryllium depressed."

Guardiola, successful particular, needs arsenic galore players arsenic imaginable to travel backmost successful bully condition. Of his established elder stars, lone Riyad Mahrez and Erling Haaland are not portion of the World Cup, and Man City are owed to look Liverpool successful the Carabao Cup 4th circular connected Dec. 22. Haaland, truthful awesome successful the archetypal fewer months of the season, has been urged to usage his clip disconnected wisely.

"He volition beryllium successful Marbella, for sure, and Norway," said Guardiola. "How cleanable he'll beryllium successful the 2nd fractional of the play depends connected however helium behaves successful Marbella. He volition play golf, hopefully not devour and portion excessively much, and travel backmost successful large signifier for the 2nd fractional of the league."

Club managers similar Guardiola, Ten Hag and Arteta volition ticker the World Cup from afar but they inactive person a batch riding connected what happens successful Qatar. For much than a month, they volition person small power implicit the players who volition determine whether their teams are palmy this play and for the coaches -- and so the nine supporters backmost location -- determination volition beryllium anxious hold portion the tourney plays retired much than 4,000 miles away.

The World Cup, for the archetypal time, is taking precedence implicit home leagues crossed Europe and, depending connected what happens, it could extremity up playing a portion successful deciding them.