LIVERPOOL are battling a fresh spate of injuries after Thiago Alcantara picked up a knock against Crystal Palace.
The Spaniard will miss Tuesday’s Carabao Cup trip to Norwich along with Roberto Firmino, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Roberto Firmino, Neco Williams and Harvey Elliott.
Following a quiet first season at Anfield, Thiago was impressing against Palace but had to come off after an hour.
Liverpool assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders has confirmed that a scan will reveal the midfielder’s recovery timeframe.
Ljinders told the club website: “I can’t say now how long it will take but definitely not tomorrow and not at the weekend.
“Let’s get the scan results back and we have a proper diagnosis.
“[It’s] a shame as well because he was taking the game by the hand, he was a proper playmaker in my opinion.
“In one week we lose two really influential midfielders, that’s the bad thing.”
JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
The quintet of unavailable stars comes after Liverpool suffered a nightmare 2020-21 campaign on the fitness front.
But there is optimism that Alexander-Arnold will be fit to return for Saturday’s trip to Brentford following a bout of non-Covid related illness.
While Williams and Firmino are on the road to recovery, with Elliott due to remain sidelined for a number of months.
Lijnders added: “Our game basically started at 12 o’clock against Palace – [Trent] took responsibility to speak with the doctor.
“It was not easy because these guys – it says a lot about our group anyway – they want to play everything, [even] if they feel a bit shaky or ill. But he took the responsibility.
“With speaking about Trent, I have to speak about Millie immediately – it started with a James Milner lecture and it ended with him dominating the complete right flank. We wanted to solve the situation with Trent with experience but we got much more.
Trent should be fine in a few days but Norwich comes too early.
Pepijn Lijnders
“So, really proud and really happy that we have these players who can fill in, in each moment in time, and do the things he did.
“That’s Trent, there are no symptoms – no Covid symptoms. We test regardless. He should be fine in a few days but Norwich comes too early.
“Then we have Bobby, who will do parts of team training but also not ready. But progressing well.
“And Neco is progressing well as well. [For him] tomorrow also comes too early.”
FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
