It seems as though Liverpool cannot complete a match without a key player picking up an injury at the moment.
On Saturday, James Milner became the latest Liverpool player to succumb to injury during the draw with Brighton while Jurgen Klopp also revealed before Tuesday’s Champions League tie against Ajax that Alisson is set to miss a handful of games.
According to Premier Injuries, Liverpool currently have 11 first-team players ruled out or rated as doubtful for this weekend’s Premier League match against Wolves at Anfield, which is three more than any other club in the division. It is no wonder that Klopp’s demeanour has soured in recent weeks.
Discussing Alisson’s injury, Klopp said: “So it’s not COVID, I think it’s something we have to mention when it’s not the case – and it’s not the case.
“He told us after the game that he felt in the 60, 70th minute of the last game his hamstring. [We] did a scan, it’s a little one but enough for today and probably for another week.
“We don’t know exactly, we have to wait and I’ve never heard about a hamstring is only four or five days, so 10 to 14 days I think.”
During the game both Andy Robertson and Jordan Henderson had to receive treatment for knocks, but both are expected to be in contention to face Wolves after coming through the match unscathed. Despite his protestations about the substitute rule in the Premier League, Klopp used only two of his five subs on Tuesday, one of which was in the 90th minute.
“Both played through so I would say we have now two days more than we had last week so I think [they are OK],” Klopp said.
“Things like this show up the next day a little different but in the moment I am positive about it. That is a problem for the next few days but not tonight.”
Klopp also provided an update on Thiago Alcantara’s condition during his pre-match press conference on Monday. The summer signing from Bayern Munich has missed Liverpool’s previous ten matches with a knee injury sustained following a bad challenge from Richarlison during the Merseyside derby in October.
He said: “On that day when Thiago got injured in that challenge in the Everton game, there was another bad injury [to Virgil van Dijk] and after the scans it was like one was really bad news and the other one was really good news because nothing was broken, nothing was ruptured and stuff like this.
“But, as we realise now, it was still a massive impact on the knee. The problem is in a situation like that, nothing is ruptured and nothing is broken and that means everybody thinks, ‘OK, you can go after a few days’, but the impact on the leg was that big that it is still not OK.
“It is not massive and he trains from time to time, not in the moment because we just have to realise that we have to go a few further steps. I can’t say exactly when he will be fine, but it will take a few weeks still with Thiago.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold has been out-of-action for the past four weeks since being taken off against Manchester City with a calf injury. The England international hadn’t been at his best during the opening matches of the campaign and Klopp revealed that he had been struggling after testing positive for Covid-19 in the summer.
“We had a short pre-season and then all of a sudden, Trent is out with Covid, and he has to play early and he was not in the best shape in that moment. That can happen to all players,” Klopp said.
On Alexander-Arnold’s current fitness, he added: “I saw him today on the pitch doing his rehab stuff outside, so that looks already good, but I cannot decide when this rehab stuff is finished. I take the players only in the moment when I get the green light and that didn’t happen yet.
“But from my rather experienced eye from what I saw today, it will not be that long anymore with Trent.”
Liverpool’s injury list (and expected return date)
- Virgil Van Dijk – knee (+6 months)
- Joe Gomez – knee (+6 months)
- Thiago Alcantara – knee (3-4 weeks)
- Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – knee (unknown)
- Alisson – hamstring (10-14 days)
- Trent Alexander-Arnold – calf (one week)
- Naby Keita – hamstring (will undergo assessment)
- James Milner – hamstring (2-6 weeks)
- Xherdan Shaqiri – leg (will undergo assessment)
Klopp has complained incessantly about the jam-packed fixture list this season, even taking BT Sport’s Des Kelly to account after Liverpool’s 1-1 draw against Brighton at the weekend.
However, Liverpool’s win against Ajax sealed their passage to the Champions League last-16 which will give Klopp a much-needed opportunity to rotate his squad for next Wednesday’s final group game against FC Midtjylland.
That should enable him to name his strongest line-up against Wolves at the weekend which is likely to include young Irish goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher following his heroics against Ajax.
Potential 4-2-3-1 line-up against Wolves: Kelleher; N. Williams, Matip, Fabinho, Robertson; Henderson, Wijnaldum; Jota, Firmino, Mane; Salah.
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