Just a few weeks ago, it was put to Jurgen Klopp that Liverpool were on the verge of having the majority of their unavailable players back from injury.
Inevitably, such a reality never came to fruition as further setbacks soon reared their head.
After seeing both Dominik Szoboszlai and Thiago Alcantara rejoin the Reds’ injury list earlier this month, the German made light of the quickly out-of-date aforementioned questions when previewing Liverpool’s trip to Burnley.
“I’m not sure if it was two or three weeks ago when we sat here and we were talking about the luxury problem of lining up players,” Klopp said ahead of facing Burnley last weekend following his side’s then-latest setbacks. “If anybody asks me that question again, I will kick them out of the room!”
Little over a week later and the Reds’ injury woes have got much worse. First, Trent Alexander-Arnold aggravated a previous knee injury against the Clarets and was forced off at half-time in 3-1 win, while Ryan Gravenberch was left as an unused substitute after feeling something in the warm-up. Meanwhile, Alisson Becker and Joe Gomez both missed the game through illness.
While the latter three would all report for training in the week, it was confirmed that Alexander-Arnold would be ruled out until after the League Cup final. And then on Friday, Alisson suffered a hamstring injury in training which would rule him out once more.
Travelling to Brentford without the Brazilian, Klopp saw three more players struck down by half-time as Curtis Jones, Diogo Jota, and Darwin Nunez were all forced off. And while the Uruguayan’s removal was precautionary after a knock, having already lost two players to injury in the game, it’s clear that Liverpool are down to the bare bones.
Consequently, their injury crisis is now actually so bad, Klopp could name a full starting XI made up of unavailable players. No wonder he’s running out of energy ahead of his looming summer exit! If you don’t laugh, you’d cry, so we’ve taken a look at how that sidelined side would actually look…
Goalkeeper: Alisson
Liverpool are waiting to find out the severity of Alisson’s hamstring injury, with the Brazilian previously missing three games after pulling the muscle against Man City back in November. He would be sidelined for two weeks before making an unexpected return against Crystal Palace.
Caoimhin Kelleher will continue in goal in his absence, and you’d expect the 25-year-old to keep his place for the midweek Premier League clash with Luton Town and FA Cup fifth round meeting with Southampton. Regardless of Alisson’s availability, the Irishman already knows he will start next weekend’s League Cup final.
A similar timescale as his last hamstring injury could see Alisson return away at Nottingham Forest on March 2. The Reds return to Europa League action in the round-of-16 on March 7, though Kelleher has predominantly been the starting goalkeeper in the competition.
Consequently, if the Brazilian is out for longer than fortnight, he will be racing to get back in time to face Man City at Anfield on March 10.
Defence: Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Williams, Bajcetic/Jones
Alexander-Arnold captains this injured XI and starts at right-back, with Klopp already confirming that the England international is likely to be out for another week or two after the League Cup final. He’ll also be desperate to return in time to face Man City, with Forest or the Europa League round-of-16 first leg offering potential initial comebacks.
Joel Matip suffered an ACL injury at the start of December against Fulham and has been ruled out for the rest of the season. Out of contract in the summer, he might have made his last appearance for the club as a result.
Mercifully, Liverpool’s defence isn’t currently heavily depleted beyond the pair, so Rhys Williams can be the injured XI’s other centre-back. He hasn’t played for the Reds first team since 2021, but has made a number of matchday squad appearances since then.
Sent on loan to Port Vale in January following an unsuccessful stint with Aberdeen, he actually returned to Liverpool a fortnight after joining the League One side to undergo rehabilitation as his temporary stint with ended due to an unspecified injury.
Meanwhile, while the Reds were left without a senior left-back over the festive period and into the New Year, prompting them to temporarily recall Owen Beck from a loan spell at Dundee, their fortunes are now somewhat different.
Andy Robertson had been ruled out since October after dislocating his shoulder on international duty, while Kostas Tsimikas broke his collarbone against Arsenal before Christmas. However, the Scot made his comeback at the end of last month, with the Greek following two weeks later.
Klopp’s senior left-backs are currently all available. So for the sake of an injured XI, Stefan Bajcetic or Jones can line up as an inverted full-back. They’ve both done it on the other side this season, and hypothetical needs must.
Midfielders: Szoboszlai, Bajcetic/Jones, Thiago
Szoboszlai is a doubt for the League Cup final against Chelsea, with Klopp admitting the Hungarian faces a race against time to be fit after aggravating a hamstring injury in training. If he does miss the trip to Wembley, he should at least be fit again not too long after.
Ruled out of facing Luton Town on Wednesday regardless, he starts in this midfield, with Thiago joining him on the opposing flank. The Spaniard returned from a 10-month lay-off with a hip injury as a substitute against Arsenal earlier this month, only to then suffer a muscle injury.
The Reds have not disclosed how long the veteran midfielder will be out for, though Klopp has revealed he expects him to return before the end of the season.
Meanwhile, whichever of Bajcetic or Jones isn’t lining up as an inverted makeshift left-back can complete the engine-room trio.
Bajcetic is a long-term absentee and is yet to return to team training after being struck down again in September following his return from an adductor issue suffered last March. Meanwhile, Jones suffered a leg injury against Brentford, just above the ankle, and left the Gtech Community Stadium on crutches as Liverpool await the severity of the setback.
Forwards: Doak, Nunez, Jota
Jota was stretchered off against Brentford after Christian Norgaard’s full body weight landed on the Portuguese’s knee. Departing the stadium on crutches and in a knee brace, Klopp confirmed his injury looked the worst of the three stuffered at Brentford as Liverpool wait to find out the severity.
Fears regarding Nunez’s half-time withdrawal were played down at least, with the Uruguayan said to have only felt something small. Even if he misses the clash with Luton, he can perhaps be hopeful of being fit for the League Cup final.
Ben Doak completes the attacking trio after suffering a knee injury for the Under-21s against Chelsea in December. Undergoing surgery, he is expected back before the end of the season.
While if all fit, such an XI would never take to the field for Liverpool, their collective absence does reiterate both just how much the Reds’ injury woes are stacking up but also how well they are currently dealing with such issues as they continue to challenge on all four fronts.
And while a couple of players will be due back in the weeks ahead, Klopp will have everything crossed that no more names join an ever-growing injury list, and that his latest absentees are fortunate enough to at least avoid long-term lay-offs.
