Liverpool could be without influential midfielder Thiago Alcantara for important games in the Carabao Cup, Premier League, and Champions League over the next seven days.
The Spaniard was substituted during the Reds’ 3-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday with what, assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders has confirmed, was a calf injury.
He was replaced by Naby Keita – who scored the third goal in the win – but it leaves Liverpool another midfielder short, after youngster Harvey Elliott dislocated his ankle against Leeds last weekend.
And Lijnders has revealed that Thiago will ‘definitely’ miss tomorrow’s cup game against Norwich, as well as Saturday’s clash with Brentford in the league.
Whether he will be fit for his side’s Champions League fixture against Porto next week, remains to be seen.
“Thiago, how the gaffer said after the game, it was a calf injury. I can’t say now how long it will take but definitely not tomorrow and not at the weekend,” Lijnders told liverpoolfc.com.
“Let’s get the scan results back and we have a proper diagnosis. A shame as well because he was taking the game by the hand, he was a proper playmaker in my opinion. A shame that we miss him.
“In one week we lose two really influential midfielders, that’s the bad thing.”
One piece of good news for Liverpool fans is that Trent Alexander-Arnold could be back for the weekend’s game against Brentford.
The England international missed the victory over Crystal Palace due to illness, as James Milner came in and deputised superbly.
But the Liverpool assistant manager revealed that Alexander-Arnold should be back in time for Saturday, with his illness not COVID-19 related.
“Let’s start with Trent. Our game basically started at 12 o’clock against Palace; he took responsibility to speak with the doctor,” Lijnders added.
“It was not easy because these guys – it says a lot about our group anyway – they want to play everything, [even] if they feel a bit shaky or ill. But he took the responsibility.
“With speaking about Trent, I have to speak about Millie immediately – it started with a James Milner lecture and it ended up he dominated the complete right flank. We wanted to solve the situation with Trent with experience but we got much more.
“So, really proud and really happy that we have these players who can fill in, in each moment in time, and do the things he did.
“That’s Trent, there are no symptoms – no COVID symptoms. We test regardless. He should be fine in a few days but Norwich comes too early.”
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