Alisson limped off with a hamstring injury in the 1-0 win over Crystal Palace, with manager Arne Slot quickly admitting he was likely to miss his side’s first game back after October’s internationals against Chelsea.
According to The Times, Alisson’s injury is slightly more serious than first feared and scans have revealed he will need to spend over a month on the sidelines.
Not only will Alisson miss the Chelsea game, but Liverpool’s starting stopper will also be forced to watch matches against RB Leipzig, Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion, Bayer Leverkusen and Aston Villa from the sidelines.
Alisson is not expected to return until after the November international break. Liverpool face Southampton on November 24 before a nightmare sequence of visits from Real Madrid and Manchester City in the week that follows.
In Alisson’s absence, it will likely be wantaway Republic of Ireland international Caoimhin Kelleher who starts for Liverpool.
Kelleher did, however, miss the Palace game through illness, forcing Slot to turn to 23-year-old Vitezslav Jaros, who made his Premier League debut when he came off the bench to replace Alisson.
But Arne Slot’s dream start to life on Merseyside was dealt a blow in the final 15 minutes of Saturday’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace. Alisson, arguably the best goalkeeper in the world, pulled up holding his hamstring. Slot could tell from the anguish washing across the Brazilian’s face that it was a serious issue and further tests have revealed that Liverpool will be without their number one for at least seven weeks.
This comes just as Liverpool embark upon a daunting slate of fixtures in three different competitions which their manager has cautiously described as “difficult”. Here’s what the Reds will have to navigate without Alisson.
Alisson missed two games this season with a hamstring complaint at the end of September. The Brazilian managed to navigate a 2-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers without any issue before dropping to the Selhurst Park turf clutching the same muscle. The latest damage is thought to be far more severe than his previous complaint.
Last season, Alisson sat out two months with another hamstring issue which he sustained in a February training session, ruling him out of quarter-finals in the FA Cup and Europa League. Liverpool lost both of those knockout ties but boast a surprisingly positive league record without Alisson. The Reds are unbeaten in their last 15 top-flight matches in the Brazilian’s absence.
