The United States Men’s National Team’s injury luck went from bad to worse on Sunday.
Two of Team USA’s top contributors suffered injuries in English Premier League matches, adding to the stress for head coach Mauricio Pochettino, who’s set to reveal his 26-player roster for the FIFA World Cup on May 26. The U.S. is hosting the World Cup, scheduled June 11-July 19.
Defender Chris Richards and midfielder Brenden Aaronson suffer injuries
Richards landed awkwardly on his left ankle in the 77th minute of Crystal Palace‘s 2-2 draw against Brentford FC on Sunday. He finished the match but required assistance walking off the field. Aaronson, meanwhile, left in the 59th minute of Leeds United‘s 1-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion because of “a dead leg,” per manager Daniel Farke. Aaronson limped off the field as he exited.
Palace manager Oliver Glasner admitted he’s more worried about Richards’s injury than about fellow defender Chadi Riad (cramping), but indicated he could return soon.
“[Richards] twisted his ankle,” Glasner said, per CBS Sports’ James Benge. “I think he got [Brentford forward Igor Thiago] landing on his ankle, then it twisted. It’s quite swollen, so we have to assess it further, but hopefully he can return in the midweek.”
Aaronson’s status remains murky. Farke didn’t provide many details during a postgame news conference. He said he’s “more optimistic” about Aaronson’s condition than midfielder Anton Stach, who was stretched off with a foot injury 15 minutes after Aaronson left (h/t The Athletic’s Henry Bushnell).
Another injury in the midfield would be costly for the USMNT. Midfielder Johnny Cardoso recently suffered a high ankle sprain while training with Atletico Madrid, requiring surgery and sidelining him for the World Cup.
Aaronson is expected to play a key role during the World Cup. He has four goals and five assists in 28 starts for Leeds United this season. Richards, a defensive specialist, has one goal and 35 tackles won in 31 starts for Palace.
Winning the World Cup will be challenging enough for the Americans. They face stiff competition, including Germany, France and Argentina. Doing so with an injury-riddled squad only makes that task even more challenging.