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The injury situation at Liverpool is getting worse as Diogo Jota, their forward, will be out for “months.” There is currently no set date for the return of midfielder Curtis Jones or goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
Jota and Jones have been included on a list, which currently includes nine senior players who are unavailable. This situation is less than ideal as the club prepares for the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea on Sunday, while also juggling their participation in four competitions.
Jurgen Klopp expressed concerns about his team’s fitness as they prepare to face Luton on Wednesday, saying, “Unfortunately, there are some issues.”
“Unavailable: Ali (Alisson) due to a muscle injury. The length of his recovery is uncertain, but it will not be in the near future. Diogo is also ruled out due to a knee problem, and Curtis is ruled out due to a bone/ligament issue.”
It will likely take several months with Diogo, but we will handle it on a daily basis with others.
“We will have to wait and see about the muscle issues for tomorrow. As for the future, Trent Alexander-Arnold (knee) and Dom Szoboszlai (hamstring) are both making progress in their recoveries, but they have not yet returned to team training. Therefore, they are currently not able to play. That is the current situation.”
Other players currently absent include midfielders Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic (both muscle injuries) and centre-back Joel Matip (ACL), while striker Darwin Nunez was replaced at half-time of Saturday’s win at Brentford as a precaution.
Jota’s recent injury is a significant setback, as he has been in excellent form with five goals in seven games. While Mohamed Salah’s return to scoring may help compensate for his absence in Saturday’s match against Brentford, the unavailability of Jones in an already depleted area creates additional challenges.
Due to Jones’ nonattendance, there will likely be a competition between Harvey Elliott and Ryan Gravenberch for the open position. However, there is also the possibility of shifting forward Cody Gakpo into the role, which he has previously filled on occasion. Alternatively, 19-year-olds James McConnell, who only debuted in October and has five senior appearances, or Bobby Clark, with seven appearances, could be brought in.
to recover
Diogo has been ruled out due to a knee injury… it will likely take several months for him to fully recover.
Jurgen Klopp, the manager of Liverpool, is sometimes referred to as “The Normal One.”
They have contributed to our current position, as the boys performed exceptionally well. We will assess how many of them we need to utilize and will provide them with chances,” stated Klopp.
“We still have several options available, particularly players such as James and Bobby who have already demonstrated their abilities. Additionally, there are other players who have yet to play but are also part of our talented group, including Lewis Koumas, Jayden Danns, and Nyoni. They all bring valuable skills to the team.”
This adds more responsibility to the usual senior midfielders Wataru Endo, who recently returned from the Asian Cup, and Alexis Mac Allister, who will likely play in his preferred midfield position instead of the holding role he has been playing for most of the season.
According to Klopp, modern footballers are versatile and can play multiple positions. He believes that traditional ideas about player positioning need to be abandoned.
“We do not impose limitations on players. Attackers must also defend and defenders must also attack, as that is the most effective way to describe it.”
“Alexis is just incredibly important for us; the tactical (side), the brain to do that says everything about him as a player.
“I doubt he is truly concerned about where he plays. I have never heard him mention a preference for playing at a higher level.”
Source: independent.co.uk
