EUROPA LEAGUE
Why isn’t Alisson Becker playing for Liverpool?
The Reds’ goalkeeper and forward Diogo Jota are both absent from Jurgen Klopp’s team to face LASK in the Europa League.
Liverpool are without goalkeeper Alisson Becker for the visit of LASK on Thursday.
The Reds can secured progression from Group E with a win but are without their first-choice goalkeeper. Becker picked up a hamstring injury in last weekend’s Premier League draw against Manchester City.
The Brazilian sustained the injury in the final stages of the game but, with Liverpool having already used all their substitutions, was forced to play on until the end. Reds forward Diogo Jota also suffered a hamstring injury in the City game.
Ahead of the Europa League fixture, Klopp confirmed that both players were unavailable for the visit of LASK.
“Both are out,” he told reporters. “With Ali it’s a bit lesser, so we have to see – not day by day, he will not play tomorrow, not on Sunday, probably not the week after. Then it should be kind of OK.
“Diogo will take a little bit longer, we don’t know exactly how long, but it’s a bit more severe. We have to see.”
What do Liverpool need to qualify in the Europa League?
Dropping out of the Champions League was a major disappointment for Liverpool but with the squad refreshed after a busy summer there is real optimism that they can lift the Europa League this year. The team reached the Europa League final in Klopp’s first season in charge, but they lost to perennial winners Sevilla.
This year Liverpool have won three of their opening four games of this season’s competition, but suffered a shock defeat to Toulouse in their most recent fixture. Liverpool are currently six points ahead of Union Saint-Gilloise, who currently occupy third place in the group. That means that a point against LASK would see them through to the knock-out stages.
However only the top team in each group will progress automatically to the Round-of-16. Runners up will play in an additional playoff round against teams dropping down from the Champions League. Liverpool will be eager to avoid the prospect of facing teams like Manchester United, PSV Eindhoven and AC Milan in the playoff round.
To do so, the Reds simply need to match Toulouse’s results in the final two group stage games.