Analysis: Who has the deepest squad in the Premier League?

Arsenal have emerged as the Premier League’s best-equipped side to withstand injuries, fixture congestion and the relentless demands of a long season, with a detailed squad-depth analysis putting Mikel Arteta’s team firmly at the top of the division.

The Gunners lead Sky Sports’ Overall Squad Depth Index and also top its Competitive Depth Index, highlighting a significant advantage over their rivals: Arsenal can lose established starters without suffering the kind of dramatic drop in quality that could derail a title challenge.

The study assessed all 20 Premier League clubs using a combination of Opta playing-time and match data, Transfermarkt estimated player values, positional cover, rotation, substitute impact, player readiness, injuries and the demands of upcoming fixtures.

The result is a stark picture of Arsenal’s strength beyond their first-choice XI.

The north London club invested heavily in squad depth during the summer, adding Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa to a group already packed with high-level options.

Their bench alone has an average combined Transfermarkt value of £367 million in Premier League matches this season — by far the highest in the division.

Using the average premium Premier League clubs paid above Transfermarkt valuations this summer, that figure would translate to close to £500 million in actual transfer-market spending.

And Arsenal’s depth is not simply expensive on paper. Their substitutes are making an impact.

The Gunners’ current squad has produced 27 goals and assists from 4,340 substitute minutes since the start of last season, giving them an adjusted rate of about 0.54 goal involvements per 90 minutes.

Only Brighton rank above Arsenal for adjusted output per 90, while Arteta’s side lead the league in the overall number of goal involvements from substitutes.

That could prove crucial as the season intensifies.

Yet having depth and using it are two different things.

Sky Sports’ analysis found that Manchester United have relied heavily on their established core, with their leading 11 players accounting for more than 88 per cent of Premier League minutes.

Despite being regarded as one of the clubs best equipped to cope with their schedule, Michael Carrick has so far shown comparatively little willingness to rotate his strongest side.

Arsenal and Manchester City, by contrast, have given players ranked 12th to 22nd around 15 per cent of their league minutes.

The most striking evidence of Arsenal’s strength comes in the hypothetical scenario every manager fears: Losing the entire starting XI.

Arsenal’s modelled first XI is valued at £580 million, while their second XI is worth approximately £536 million.

In other words, the Gunners retain about 92 per cent of their starting side’s estimated value even after replacing all 11 players.

Manchester City face a far greater drop-off. Their second XI is valued £428.2 million below the first XI, with much of that difference driven by the enormous value lost when Erling Haaland is removed from the equation.

Arsenal are not without weaknesses, however.

Their biggest concern is on the left wing, where the departures of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard have left them short of established quality and cover.

Liverpool face a similar problem on the opposite flank following Mohamed Salah’s departure, while Everton rank bottom of the league for centre-forward depth.

The analysis also highlights Brighton, Crystal Palace and Newcastle as having some of the weakest attacking-midfield depth, although all three teams often operate without a conventional No 10.

Chelsea, meanwhile, lead the league in the value of their young first-team players. Seven players aged 21 or under are collectively valued at £229.5 million, ahead of Manchester City, Brighton, Manchester United and Bournemouth.

But financial value does not necessarily translate into opportunity.

Brighton and Manchester United rank highly for minutes given to their young players, while Manchester City’s highly valued group has played only 257 minutes.

Arsenal’s two young first-team players worth £72.7 million have accumulated 282 minutes.

The analysis finally tested what happens when individual starters are removed.

Goalkeepers dominate the list of potentially damaging absences, with Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen identified as the player whose loss would create the biggest problem for any Premier League side.

The wider message is clear: In a league where injuries, rotation and fixture congestion can decide seasons, Arsenal possess the strongest insurance policy.

Their first XI may be chasing the headlines, but it is the quality waiting behind them that could ultimately prove decisive.