Liverpool injury update: Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson latest news and return dates
Liverpool are still nursing a lengthy injury list ahead of a crucial few weeks in the context of Jurgen Klopp’s final season in charge at Anfield.
The Reds defied multiple key fitness blows to beat Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley last weekend, before Darwin Nunez’s last-gasp 98th-minute goal at Nottingham Forest on Saturday secured the most dramatic of victories to temporarily restore their four-point lead at the Premier League summit - later whittled back down to one courtesy of Manchester City’s derby win over Manchester United.
Liverpool now embark upon another crucial week that includes a trip to the Czech Republic on Thursday night for the first leg of their Europa League last-16 clash against Sparta Prague, before the small matter of a colossal home showdown with title rivals City on Sunday.
Sparta then come to Merseyside next week, before Klopp’s side battle fierce rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-finals - a match that will require the latest Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park to be rescheduled.
With some more massive games on the horizon, here is all the latest Liverpool injury news and potential return dates after the likes of Nunez, Wataru Endo and Dominik Szoboszlai all featured off the bench at Forest and Andy Robertson also shook off illness to start...
Mohamed Salah
Salah scored on his return to action off the bench in the 4-1 win at Brentford on February 17, but has since been suffering from muscle fatigue after injuring his hamstring while away with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations in January.
He has since missed the wins over Luton, Chelsea, Southampton and Nottingham Forest, though Klopp confirmed ahead of Saturday’s visit to the City Ground that Salah - who has been called up to the Egypt squad for their latest training camp later this month - should return at some point this week.
“I don't think Mo is too far off, but he will not feature [at Forest],” Klopp said. “From there, we have to go. Touch and go, unfortunately that stays the case with Mo for a little bit longer.
“But I think next week, at any point, it is possible. So he is on the way back, definitely, but not there yet.”
Salah could presumably return against Sparta Prague on Thursday, but it would not be a surprise to see Liverpool take a cautious approach with their star attacker and ensure that he is fully ready for a critical showdown with City.
Potential return date: March 10, vs Manchester City
Trent Alexander-Arnold
The England international has not featured since re-injuring his knee in the 3-1 home win over Burnley almost a month ago.
Alexander-Arnold was never expected to make the Carabao Cup final at Wembley and remained out against Forest, with Klopp’s assistant Pep Lijnders previously confirming that he had injured his lateral collateral ligament and would not be back until after the next international break.
Liverpool have a two-week gap after facing Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-finals at Old Trafford on March 17, returning to league action at home to Brighton on March 31.
We could maybe expect Alexander-Arnold back for that game provided he has no setbacks, otherwise in early April when Liverpool face United again in the top-flight either side of matches against Sheffield United and Crystal Palace.
Potential return date: March 31, vs Brighton
Alisson Becker
Liverpool’s first-choice goalkeeper was expected to return from a bout of illness against Brentford, but was surprisingly absent again and it later transpired that he had sustained a hamstring injury that would keep him out for a matter of weeks.
Klopp then delivered a new update on the issue pre-Forest, revealing that Alisson’s injury was “rather serious” but not season-ending as Caoimhin Kelleher continues to deputise.
“There is no real timescale on it, but it is a proper muscle injury,” the manager said. “Different players recover differently. That is it pretty much. It is not a short one.
“It is not that he will be in contention for next week or something like that. We have to wait a few more weeks, definitely, for him.
“He is working in the gym, not on the pitch. It is a rather serious one but not a season-ending injury.”
Potential return date: April 2024
Diogo Jota
The Portuguese forward was stretchered off against Brentford last month and diagnosed with a medial collateral ligament injury in his knee.
Though Jota avoided posterior cruciate ligament damage that would almost certainly have ended his season and wrecked his Euro 2024 hopes, he still faces months rather than weeks in the treatment room.
Potential return date: April 2024
Ryan Gravenberch
Liverpool’s summer signing was stretchered off himself against Chelsea at Wembley after suffering an ankle injury and needed crutches and a protective boot.
Gravenberch was diagnosed with a ligament issue, though it was not as serious as first feared and though he is expected to miss the trip to Prague on Thursday, he could return to play some part against City.
"It's a ligament injury, could have been much worse, but bad enough for being ruled out for this game, next game,” Klopp said last week.
“We will see. So, we need miracles with a few players, so that's why I don't want to rule out for too long.”
Potential return date: March 10, vs Manchester City
Curtis Jones
Jones was another player to be injured in that costly win at Brentford, suffering a blow to his ankle in west London.
He has not featured since, though is expected to be back this month.
Lijnders said before the Carabao Cup final: “Curtis is probably the first one [to come back] around the international break. All the others will be after the international break.”
A return just before the break would put Jones on track to face United in the FA Cup, while a comeback just after would see him likely be fit to play against Brighton.
Potential return date: March 17, vs Manchester United
Thiago Alcantara
The injury-plagued Spaniard made his first Liverpool appearance for 10 months late off the bench in the 3-1 loss at Arsenal on February 4, only to suffer yet another setback that could yet rule him out for the rest of the season.
With Thiago’s current contract due to expire this summer, it could be that he has already played his last match for the Reds.
"There's no timescale,” Klopp said recently. “I don't know, to be honest. It's a couple of things [that] he has to do now from a medical point of view and then I don't know if that will then mean that he can play again [this season].
"That's not a short-term thing, that's why I'm not really in the subject. It's not that he might be in training in two weeks or stuff like this, so that's why I'm not 100 per cent in it. I cannot say more about it, to be honest."
Potential return date: Unknown
Joel Matip
Matip suffered a serious ACL injury in Liverpool’s comeback win over Fulham back in December and subsequently underwent surgery.
He is not expected back this season and is another who may well have played his final match for Liverpool with his contract due to expire in the summer.
Potential return date: Summer 2024
Stefan Bajcetic
Liverpool’s breakout young star of last season has made just two appearances this term due to a long-term issue.
However, Klopp revealed last week that the midfielder is now building up his fitness pain-free as he awaits the go ahead to return to team training.
"He's obviously gaining fitness now... he didn't get a green light yet for us for the team training,” Klopp said.
"He's pain-free, completely pain-free, which is obviously the most important thing. All checks we made, like scans again, bone looks good, that's all fine and he's just doing the stuff he’s doing."
Potential return date: April 2024
Ben Doak
The teenage winger is rehabbing after undergoing surgery on a lateral meniscus tear back in December and is not expected back for a while yet.
Potential return date: Unknown
