Alisson & Miloš Kerkez are doubts for Sunday's gameplaceholder image
Alisson & Miloš Kerkez are doubts for Sunday's game | Getty Images
The latest Liverpool team news ahead of their Premier League game agianst Manchester United - including updates on Alisson & Miloš Kerkez.
Liverpool head into Sunday’s match against old rivals Manchester United still needing five points to secure their place in next season’s Champions League – and their odds of getting over the line haven’t been shortened by recent injury issues.
Mohamed Salah, Miloš Kerkez and Alisson Becker are among the players who could miss out – and in total, no fewer than eight members of Arne Slot’s first team could be unavailable for the game at Old Trafford.
With kick-off fast approaching, we’ve collected all of the latest Liverpool team news and injury updates below, along with our prediction for Slot’s starting line-up. And if you want to check out Manchester United’s selection news, you can see that here as well.
Alisson Becker & Miloš Kerkez key doubts ahead of Liverpool match
Prior to last week’s 3-1 win over Crystal Palace, Slot said that Alisson – who has been out for six weeks with an undisclosed muscular injury – was close to a return and suggested that he could have started at Anfield. Now, a week later, the prognosis is less positive.
Slot revealed on Friday morning that Alisson had not yet returned to full training, although he did state that the goalkeeper was “very close” to doing so and did not rule out a return in time for Sunday.
“I have to hear today from the medical staff if he is able to train today or either tomorrow or otherwise the start of next week,” Slot said. “He is very close but of course, also we don’t want to take any risks.”
With Giorgio Mamardashvili expected to be out for at least one more week with a gashed knee, Freddie Woodman will deputise again should Alisson fail to recover – and the Brazilian could be joined on the sidelines by Kerkez, who was forced to leave training on Wednesday due to an unspecified issue.
“Miloš has had some niggles, and left the training pitch,” Slot explained during his pre-match press conference, but added that “I expect him to train today or tomorrow.” As such, Kerkez appears to be only a minor doubt for the Manchester United game but it would be no surprise to see Andrew Robertson start again at left-back.
Mohamed Salah leads list of Liverpool injury absentees
Five Liverpool players are expected to miss out due to injuries this weekend, with Mohamed Salah chief among them – but despite early reports which suggested that the hamstring injury he sustained against Crystal Palace would end his season and thus his Liverpool career, it now appears that he will return before the close of the campaign.
Liverpool released a club statement earlier this week which stated that the Egyptian’s injury was only “minor” and that it was anticipated that he would be able to play again, allowing him to say farewell to the club’s supporters ahead of his imminent departure on a free transfer.
Salah will not be available to face Manchester United, however, and neither will midfielder Wataru Endo, who has returned to light training after an ankle injury but is still at least two weeks away from being able to play.
Liverpool also have three long-term first-team absentees: Hugo Ekitiké, who will be out until the winter with a ruptured Achilles tendon; Giovanni Leoni, who is recovering from a ruptured ACL and will hope to return over the summer; and Conor Bradley, who required surgery on a serious knee injury and is likely to be out until November.
Liverpool predicted line-up vs. Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Woodman; Robertson, Van Dijk, Konaté, Jones; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Gakpo, Wirtz, Frimpong; Isak.
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