Liverpool duo ruled out for 2 weeks due to injury: Reports
Liverpool stars Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joel Matip will be out for approximately two weeks after suffering injuries in the 3-2 loss against Arsenal on October 9, as per the Athletic.
The Cameroonian centre-back will be sidelined with a calf issue after he was substituted in the 69th minute at the Emirates. Trent, meanwhile, picked up a nasty-looking ankle injury in the first half of the match after being inadvertently stamped on by Gabriel Martinelli.
The right-back soldiered on until the half-time break but was replaced by Joe Gomez for the second half. The duo are set to miss the UEFA Champions League clash against Rangers on Wednesday (October 12) and the Premier League tie against Manchester City four days later.
If Matip and Alexander-Arnold do miss 14 days of action, they will also be out for the league encounters against West Ham United (October 19) and Nottingham Forest (October 22). The injury issues at Liverpool have now escalated to the stage of a full-blown crisis.
Luis Diaz won't play for Liverpool until 2023 after suffering a knee injury against Arsenal.
Nightmare for Jürgen Klopp, who is still waiting to discover full extent of Trent Alexander-Arnold's ankle issue.
#LFC 🔴
Luis Diaz, arguably the Merseysiders' best player this season, has recently been ruled out for their next 10 games before the FIFA World Cup. Since Colombia are not traveling to Qatar, Diaz is expected to rest during the break and return when the domestic season resumes.
The winger was injured following a strong challenge from Thomas Partey on Sunday and was withdrawn three minutes before the break. If the defeat in itself wasn't bad enough, Klopp is now left to navigate the next two weeks without three highly important players.
Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, meanwhile, are still sidelined and it remains to be seen when they will return to the first team.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is not expected to make a return to action until the end of October, at the earliest. The same situation applies to Naby Keita.ℹ❗Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is not expected to make a return to action until the end of October, at the earliest. The same situation applies to Naby Keita.
Source: @LivEchonews 🗞
Liverpool's options after Trent and Matip's injuries
The Reds are expected to field Joe Gomez down the right flank of their defense. Ibrahima Konate, meanwhile, is the logical replacement for Matip at the heart of Liverpool's backline.
Calvin Ramsay arrived from Aberdeen this summer but the Scottish right-back is yet to play a single minute of competitive football for his new club. Gomez could prove to be crucial in this period for Klopp. His ability to play as a centre-back and right-back will be useful during this period.
If Gomez does partner Virgil van Dijk in defense, the German tactician has the versatile James Milner to fall back on for the right-back spot. Given Gomez's own personal injury struggles at Liverpool over the past few years, it would be wise for the Reds to be extra cautious with him over the next fortnight.