Premier League Project Restart: Eleven players to star after recovering from injury lay-offs, including Paul Pogba and Harry Kane

11. Heung-min Son (Tottenham)

Despite his two goals and a last-minute winner at Aston Villa in February (above), Heung-min Son had been playing pretty much the full game with a broken arm after an early collision.

Jose Mourinho was not initially optimistic (granted, he rarely is) of a speedy recovery, suggesting Son was going to be ruled out for the remainder of the campaign; a particularly cruel blow considering Spurs were relying on him due to Harry Kane's absence.

The break has allowed Son to not only recover, but to complete a compulsory three-week stint of national service in South Korea. The 27-year-old was exposed to tear gas, went on lengthy hikes and was trained how to fire guns - even receiving an award for impressing out of all the trainees.

Now back in London and training, having quarantined for two weeks, barring any setbacks he will be available for the return.

The forward has 16 goals and nine assists in all competitions this term with an average of three shots per game. In total, 42 (58%) of his 72 shots have hit the target, which is a pretty decent success rate.

His return will prove a timely boost as Jose Mourinho's side target the top four. They will be hoping he can take lessons from his military training and keep hitting the target.

10. Johann Berg Gudmundsson (Burnley)

Icelandic midfielder Johann Berg Gudmundsson has missed much of the season through injury and his absence down the right side has been felt by Sean Dyche's side.

He had already missed September due to injury before picking up a hamstring problem while on international duty in October. He returned to action around the Christmas period but, again, suffered a setback and has found the disruption difficult, which will make him all the more keen to hit the ground running again.

“It’s been a tough and frustrating season," he recently told The Sun.

“This break might have come at a good time to get my body right and hopefully play a big part in the last nine games."

It will be important for Burnley to get him back and playing regularly as he is a key man for them, one who can create and contribute going forward.

We tipped him to score earlier in the season at Arsenal at an appealing 10/1 because of his impressive rate of shooting. Unfortunately he did not find the back of the net at the Emirates and the disruption to his campaign soon began.

A good box-to-box winger who does not shirk the dirty work, he had two shots and a goal v Southampton, three shots at home to Everton and efforts against Villa (h), Man United (h) and Wolves (a).

He likes to try his luck in front of the Turf Moor faithful and he may be worth considering in the final few home games if he can make a successful return this time around.

9. Ashley Barnes (Burnley)

Ashley Barnes was Burnley's joint-top goalscorer last season along with Chris Wood, with 13 goals in all competitions.

He only has six to his name this term, but partly due to a persistent hernia problem which caught up with him in January and his final appearance came on New Year's Day before undergoing surgery.

He is a key player in Dyche's Clarets side, having started 17 of his 19 Premier League appearances this term, so his return will be a welcome one along with Gudmundsson.

The 30-year-old has formed an excellent partnership with Wood and if he comes back fit, he could well be firing.

He was just making his return in behind-closed-doors friendlies with the reserves before the coronavirus crisis brought football to a halt. A personalised plan and daily stretches during lockdown will have only helped his recovery.

Barnes' aerial prowess and dominating style in and around the box makes him a handful for any Premier League defence and with Dwight McNeil and Gudmundsson providing the crosses, Barnes could finish the season strongly.

He averages 2.1 shots per game this term and the fact just 28 of his 40 shots this term have been inside the box shows how dangerous he can be in front of goal - and also how good Burnley are at playing to his strengths.

He does, though, often commit fouls due to his style of play, with an average of nearly two per game, which has so far earned him four bookings. If he can stay fit, you can be sure he will register either a goal or booking or two (or both!) before the season's end.

8. Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea)

It has been good to see academy graduates Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori, Tammy Abraham and Reece James among those being given chances and thriving in the Chelsea team under Frank Lampard.

Billy Gilmour is the latest young star, while plenty more of this team look to be enjoying their football again. So it is easy to forget they still have Ruben Loftus-Cheek to come back.

The 24-year-old has been one of the Blues' greatest hopes in the last few years, living up to that expectation with involvement in Gareth Southgate's England squad at the 2018 World Cup.

That came before what he calls his 'breakthrough season' at Stamford Bridge in 18/19.

But he has not been able to kick on this season after rupturing his Achilles in a post-season friendly in America in May 2019 and it has been a long road back to full fitness.

He had stepped up his return before the coronavirus pandemic, playing three games including 60- and 90-minute appearances, and was even an unused substitute in the first team on a couple of occasions.

Loftus-Cheek admits his frustration after being so close to returning and, now it has also bought him a little time, the midfielder may be able to kick on for the final nine games now.

In that 18/19 season, he scored six goals and assisted two more in the Premier League, averaging 1.2 shots per game - all while appearing mostly as a substitute under Maurizio Sarri.

He featured more prominently in the Europa League, scoring four, assisting three, averaging 1.6 shots per game, and achieving a pass success rate of 90.8%.

Strong on the ball, he plays with his head up, can pick an excellent pass and has an eye for goal. He may have to be patient, but once he gets his opportunity Loftus-Cheek could impress.

7. David Brooks (Bournemouth)

Bournemouth have been incredibly unlucky with injuries and it is easy to forget that lengthy list includes winger David Brooks.

The Welshman, 22, has missed the whole campaign after undergoing ankle surgery last summer. He was originally ruled out for 12 weeks, but another operation was required in December and he was working to be fit for Euro 2020 after returning to 'light training' with the Cherries in February.

His debut season in the top flight (stats above), after signing from Sheffield United in 2018, saw him score seven and assist five, averaging 1.4 shots per game across his 30 Premier League appearances. Quite a one-sided player, six of those strikes came with his favoured left foot.

His xG per 90 and xGa per 90 data for his debut season is impressive, reading 0.48, which means he will score or assist a goal every other game. His return will make him seem like a new signing, bolstering Eddie Howe's attacking options, and he could fit into the team well along with Harry Wilson in playing supporting roles to Callum Wilson spearheading the attack.

Brooks can operate on the wings or as a number 10 and it is worth waiting to see his level of involvement before considering him in the shots or goal markets.

If he can get anywhere near top form after such a long spell on the sidelines, then Bournemouth will have a significantly better chance of survival.

6. John McGinn (Aston Villa)

A lot is said about Villa being a 'one-man team' and relying on Jack Grealish, but John McGinn is key and their season suffered a cruel blow when the Scotland international limped off early in their December defeat to Southampton with a fractured ankle.

“I think he was one of the top players in the whole league before he got injured,” Grealish recently told Sky Sports' Football Show.

“I even spoke to players from other clubs and they were saying they couldn’t believe how good he was.”

The 25-year-old had scored three goals, assisted two more and got WhoScored's Man of the Match award four times in 18 league appearances, as well as scoring another seven for Scotland this term.

He averages two shots per game across the course of the campaign and his return will give Villa a huge lift as they battle survival, both contributing goals as well as creating them.

It will be no surprise to see him play a key role providing he can remain fit.

5. Paul Pogba (Manchester United)

Paul Pogba certainly divides opinion, and the impact of Bruno Fernandes and his combination with Fred in midfield appears to have made many Manchester United fans confident of coping with life after the Frenchman.

Pogba has been unsettled at Old Trafford for a couple of years now, but maybe, just maybe, watching from the sidelines and seeing Fernandes pick up all the plaudits could give him the fire in his belly to succeed. Maybe he wants a piece of the pie.

He has made just eight appearances all season due to an ankle injury and he was just returning to fitness before the game's enforced break, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recently telling MUTV: "They're looking good (Pogba and Marcus Rashford), they've joined training now and they've done everything the other boys have been doing. No reaction so far, touch wood.

"When we get started, it looks like we can have a full squad to choose from."

Pogba's talent is undoubted and from missing much of the season he could return hungrier than ever. Even if he wants a move, he might have to play for one to keep the big clubs interested.

The 27-year-old has two assists in his brief campaign, averaging two shots per game, while in 2018/19 he scored 13 league goals, assisted nine and averaged three shots per game. He even got six bookings, which shows that aggression to his game.

If he returns in the same fashion, he could form a deadly partnership with Fernandes and friends, so he could well be among the goals, assists and cards before the end of the campaign.

4. Steven Bergwijn (Tottenham)

Spurs won the race to sign Netherlands international Steven Bergwijn from PSV in January for £27m. He came with great expectation having impressed in the Eredivisie, bolstering their attacking options in the short term with Kane on the sidelines.

The 22-year-old scored twice in his first four Premier League appearances, so it was typical for him, and Spurs, that Bergwijn would sprain his ankle on Spurs appearance number seven (all competitions) against Burnley.

Mourinho feared the worst (of course), but he is now back in training after the extended break and the final run-in could be a chance for him to play with Kane for the first time - and for a partnership to possibly flourish.

Bergwijn showed versatility at PSV, playing on either wing, through the middle as a striker or in a supporting number 10 role. With Kane, Son, Alli, Lucas Moura and even fellow January arrival Gedson Fernandes, who is still fitting being integrated, Spurs could be dangerous after adapting further and learning under Mourinho and Bergwijn has plenty of promise.

He had at least one shot in all but one of his five league appearances, four in the win at Villa, and the fact he set up 26 goals in his last season and a half at PSV shows his vision and unselfishness in the final third.

He has some aggression to his game, with five bookings for both clubs across the campaign, and is certainly one we are looking forward to seeing more of.

3. Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)

A back operation in January had ruled Marcus Rashford out for the season, and potentially Euro 2020 before its postponement, but he is back in full training and ready for the resumption.

With Fernandes thriving in a United attack without Rashford, imagine how well he could link up with him.

The England forward's return will boost the Red Devils' top-four hopes further, after their good run leading up to the enforced break.

The 22-year-old, who has already passed 200 appearances for the club, is their top goalscorer with 19 goals and six assists in all competitions this term, averaging a goal every 122 minutes.

With 74 shots in 22 Premier League appearances, he averages 3.4 shots per game. Of those efforts, 34 have come from outside the box and he is not afraid of trying his luck when the goal is in his sights.

His direct style of play will be a welcome return for Solskjaer, whether it is from the left, where he predominantly plays, or down the middle with Anthony Martial or Odion Ighalo.

2. Harry Kane (Tottenham)

England captain Harry Kane is Tottenham's top marksman, their leader from the front, and they have missed him considerably in the last couple of years when he has suffered injuries midway through the campaign.

A hamstring injury picked up on New Year's Day at Southampton was worse than first feared, requiring surgery that initially put his Euro 2020 hopes in doubt.

He has scored 17 goals and assisted two in 25 appearances for Spurs, and going into the break Mourinho was missing him with the club winless in six games in all competitions.

Kane's return, as well as the above players, sees the club return to near full strength with Kane spearheading the attack. The end of last season was also disrupted by injury before the Champions League final, but Kane has historically finished campaigns quite strongly:

- Six in his last eight in 17/18 before the World Cup

- Eleven in his last eight in 16/17

- Nine in his last 11 in 15/16

With 11 league goals to his name this time around, he is eight off leading goalscorer Jamie Vardy, so it would be some return to see him secure a third Golden Boot. Saying that, it would not be beyond the realms of possibility for Kane, who netted seven goals in the last two games of 16/17 (against Leicester and Hull) to pip Romelu Lukaku to the accolade.

Spurs are seven points adrift of the top four, so their hopes are slim, but if Kane can stay fit then he can be the driving force behind them finishing strongly.

1. Leroy Sane

Aymeric Laporte's absence from Man City's defence played a big part in their failed title defence, but it is easy to forget how big a miss Leroy Sane has been.

The winger limped off in the Community Shield season opener (above) against Liverpool at Wembley after just 10 minutes with a knee ligament injury and he has been sidelined since.

The 24-year-old is still being strongly linked to Bayern Munich, with members of the playing and off-field staff seemingly on a mission to publicly praise and persuade him back to Germany, but he is back in training with the first team and his return will be a welcome boost for Pep Guardiola.

He scored 16 and set up 18 in 47 appearances in all competitions last season, averaging nearly two shots per game, operating mostly from the left, and he will add options and competition for places along with Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez.

It is hard to imagine them throwing him straight back in, with substitute cameos therefore he could be worth looking at in the last goalscorer markets, especially against lesser opposition.

In 18/19, 20 of his 56 league efforts came from outside the box, so just under one in two of his shots. If he is back, hungry and eager to impress, he could be well priced to score from distance.

It does, of course, depend on how he reintegrates. But City and Guardiola (and Bayern) rate him highly, so he could be like a new signing. As if they were short of goals in the first place.

Premier League Punters' XI: Eleven players to consider backing before the season ends, including Billy Gilmour and Bruno Fernandes

George Pitts picks out his 11 players to watch as the Premier League returns, and how to get on the right side of them in the betting. Click the image below to take a look...

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