LIVERPOOL boss Jurgen Klopp will have to work miracles if he is to guide his side to a second Premier League crown in a row this season.
The Reds now have NINE first-team players out injured, including their entire first-choice back-four.
How Liverpool could line-up for the game against Leicester
Klopp will now scramble to put out a starting XI fit enough to take on Premier League leaders Leicester on Sunday.
Reds captain Jordan Henderson is the most-recent casualty, suffering muscle tightness during England’s 2-0 Nations League loss in Belgium.
Joe Gomez had already suffered a nasty injury to a tendon in his knee during England training and was forced to undergo surgery, meaning he will miss a huge chunk of the 2020-21 season.
Andrew Robertson also picked up a hamstring injury while away with Scotland.
Virgil van Dijk suffered a season-ending knee ligament injury in the Merseyside derby following Jordan Pickford’s horror lunge.
And Trent Alexander-Arnold is also out having picked up a calf injury in the 1-1 draw with Manchester City.
In midfield, Fabinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Thiago Alcantara have all been struggling with injuries.
Fabinho pulled up with a hamstring injury in the first-half of the Champions League win over Midtjylland.
Another way Liverpool could line-up vs Leicester on Sunday
Thiago has been struggling since being hacked by Richarlison in the heated clash with Everton, while Oxlade-Chamberlain is still out after picking up a nasty knee injury in pre-season.
In attack, Mohamed Salah has been ruled out after testing positive for coronavirus during the international break.
It means Klopp has been left horribly short-handed for Sunday’s clash with Premier League leaders Leicester.
Alisson’s return to fitness will be a huge boost, but he will have to contend with an inexperienced back-line ahead of him.
Neco Williams will likely start at right-back, with summer signing Kostas Tsimikas starting on the left after recovering from an injury of his own.
Nat Phillips is set to keep his place in defence after starring against West Ham on his Premier League debut last month.
Klopp will hope injury-prone Joel Matip will stay fit to start alongside him, otherwise Rhys Williams – who has starred in the Champions League this season – may be given his Premier League bow.
Williams – who has earned his first two caps for England’s Under-21s this season – has kept a clean sheet in all three of his European games.
Jordan Henderson is set to miss the Leicester game with muscle tightnessCredit: AP:Associated Press
Salah will miss the game vs Leicester after testing positive for coronavirusCredit: Reuters
James Milner will likely start in midfield, alongside Naby Keita and Georginio Wijnaldum – who scored twice in Holland’s 3-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Curtis Jones will also push for a place having starred for the England Under-21s during the international break.
Up front, Roberto Firmino will be tasked with leading the line, with red-hot Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane on the wings.
Liverpool’s bench for the Leicester clash will be worryingly inexperienced.
Rhys Williams will likely be on the bench, alongside second-choice goalkeeper Adrian.
Youngsters Sepp van den Berg or Billy Koumetio may be roped in too, to bolster Klopp’s defensive options.
Takumi Minamino, Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi will likely be the Reds chief’s other options on the bench.
Jurgen Klopp rages over Alexander-Arnold injury and the need for the Premier League to introduce five subs
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
