Arne Slot has welcomed a number of players back from injury for Liverpool in recent weeks. Following the returns of Harvey Elliott and Alisson Becker, Diogo Jota marked his own comeback with a goal in the Reds’ 2-2 draw with Fulham on Saturday.
Federico Chiesa was also back though limited to an unused substitute role, with the Italy international now pencilled in to make his own comeback away at Southampton in the League Cup in midweek.
Liverpool will also have Alexis Mac Allister available again against the Saints after missing the Reds’ last two matches through suspension. But Slot is still without a number of players for the quarter-final tie as he faces a defensive crisis after Andy Robertson was sent off against the Cottagers.
With the Scotland international also potentially suffering with a knee injury, the ECHO takes a look at the players who are set to miss Liverpool’s trip to Southampton…
Andy Robertson
Robertson was sent off in the 17th minute against Fulham for denial of a goalscoring opportunity after taking out Harry Wilson. He will definitely miss the trip to Southampton as a result as he serves a one-game suspension.
However, a small question mark remains above his head following the midweek match after he suffered a knee injury in the first minute against the Cottagers.
While he admirably played on, Slot admitted that it ultimately took its toll on the defender and contributed to his red card.
“You get a kick like this, two studs on a knee, it hurts for a bit but if you keep on running it gets better and better and you can run it off,” the Dutchman said. “That is what I was hoping for not in the least because I only have one defender at left full-back.
“So you are hoping he was managing to come through it and he did quite well, but the moment I noticed he wasn’t completely himself was the one time they put the ball in behind and he was just about able to head it back to Alisson. So I thought: ‘OK, let’s see how this continues’.
“But it was quite soon afterwards he conceded the red card. Nothing to blame on him, his character he wanted to continue after the knock on his knee, unfortunately it led to a red card which was a deserved red card.”
Kostas Tsimikas
Kostas Tsimikas suffered an ankle injury in training last month, and was spotted on crutches and in a protective boot when Liverpool faced Man City.
After being ruled out of clashes against Newcastle and Everton, Slot confirmed he was expected to return to action by January at the latest.
The Greek, who no longer needs a protective boot, stepped up his recovery by taking part in individual training out on the grass at the AXA Training Centre last week. However, his head coach subsequently revealed that he was not yet ready to return to action.
“He has made the first positive step,” he said of Tsimikas. “But when players are back on the grass, still playing time, sometimes there is a little bit of time in between that.
“But I cannot say exactly how long because not every player reacts in the same way. Some players are earlier back with the same injury and some players need a little bit more time.”
It seems unlikely that Tsimikas could make enough progress to be back in contention to replace the suspended Robertson at Southampton.
Ibrahima Konate
ibrahima Konate suffered a knee injury in the closing stages of Liverpool’s win over Real Madrid, and would later confirm on social media that he was set for a spell on the sidelines.
Ruled out of the victory over Man City, he was spotted on crutches at Anfield to cheer on his team-mates. Slot has since confirmed he was set to be out for ‘a few weeks’ but is expected to return to action come January.
The defender posted an update of himself working in the gym ahead of the Reds’ Champions League clash with Girona, though Slot confirmed ahead of facing Fulham that the Frenchman was not yet ready to return to individual training out on the grass as he refused to put a timescale his return.
“I have no clue (when they will be back), they are not on the pitch yet,” he said of Konate and Bradley. “Well, of course I have a clue, but it is not that there is a game in our heads that we want them back for, no.”
Conor Bradley
Conor Bradley suffered a hamstring injury against Real Madrid and was ruled out for a ‘few weeks’ by Slot as a result.
The Dutchman confirmed ahead of facing Fulham that, like Konate, the Northern Ireland international was not yet ready to return to individual training out on the grass as he refused to put a timescale on the pair’s return.
“I have no clue (when they will be back), they are not on the pitch yet,” he said. “Well, of course I have a clue, but it is not that there is a game in our heads that we want them back for, no.”
