Klopp gives update on Liverpool’s walking wounded: Salah, Jota, Curtis, Alisson…

Jürgen Klopp sent out an unequivocal message regarding Liverpool’s casualty list which continues to grow - not an ideal situation to be in with a domestic cup final looming: “As long as we have 11 players, we will go for it and that’s exactly the idea. We’ll deal with it, without excuses. There are 5,000 ways to win a football match and we only need to find one”.

There are currently 10 players in Liverpool’s sickbay - all nursing different ailments of varying degrees of severity. Most of them won’t make the list for Wednesday’s league game against Luton. Klopp is hoping that perhaps one or two might recover in time for Sunday’s EFL Carabao Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley - the team’s first shot at silverware this season.

Liverpool suffer Jota blow

First choice keeper Alisson was laid low with flu then tweaked a hamstring in training which meant he missed the team’s last game, against Brentford at the weekend. Liverpool’s injury woes piled up during that game with Darwin Núñez taken off as a precaution, Curtis Jones retiring with an ankle injury and worst of all, Diogo Jota carried off on a stretcher after the full weight of Brentford’s Christian Norgaard fell on his knee.

At the end of the game, it was reported that Mohamed Salah, playing his first game back after spending 25 days out with a hamstring injury, “felt some discomfort” and may have aggravated his condition or suffered a relapse.

Klopp confirmed this afternoon that Alisson, Curtis Jones, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dominik Szoboszlai and Jota as well his other long-term casualties (Joel Matip, Thiago and Stefan Bajcetic) will play no part in either tomorrow’s league game at Anfield or Sunday’s cup final. He gave no indication about how serious the problems suffered by Salah and Núñez are or comment on their availability for the Chelsea game.

“Not great, definitely not. I would like to sit here and say we have absolutely no issues but obviously we have some, Klopp began. “Not available - Ali. That’s a muscle injury, we don’t know exactly how long it takes but definitely not in the foreseeable time. Then we have Diogo with a knee issue, is ruled out; Curtis with a bone/ligament, is ruled out. And then we have the others, who we will deal with day by day.

“For tomorrow, you will see the line-up early enough, and see who made it and who didn’t make it. In the longer term, Trent and Dom are on their way back but not in team training yet so that means they are not available as well. That’s the situation,” he concluded.

A chance for Liverpool starlets to step up and shine

With so many first team stars receiving treatment, the coach admitted that he may have to delve into the reserves again. That could mean opportunity knocks for the likes of 20-year-old right-back Conor Bradley, who has made 10 appearances and fitted in superbly covering for TAA. Jarell Quansah, James McConnell and Bobby Clark have all been given run-outs while Lewis Koumas and Trey Nyoni could get minutes while the casualty room remains occupied.

Last season the Reds suffered on and off with similar injury crises - at least 15 players spent time on the sidelines with muscular injuries and three underwent surgery (Calvin Ramsey, Luis Díaz and Arthur). Whether it’s down to bad luck, the overload of games or preparation, Klopp has been forced to reshuffle the pack once more.

But the manager says he has complete faith that his group of available players will deliver: “Who cares about the number on your back or what position you play? It’s not really important, it’s about what you can contribute and what you can bring to the team,” he argued.