Liverpool hosted PSG in the UEFA Champions League round of 16, with the Reds losing a key player through injury in Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The England international went down in the second-half after rolling his ankle on the byline, with Alexander-Arnold in real pain as the defender struggled to make his way off the pitch as Jarell Quansah replaced the 26-year-old.
With Conor Bradley also out injured, Alexander-Arnold’s being ruled out will leave Arne Slot with a big problem at right-back, where Liverpool might not have a natural replacement for the rumoured Real Madrid target heading into the final two months of the season.
And judging by Alexander-Arnold’s reaction, Liverpool could well be left short in the right-back position in the coming weeks.
READ MORE:Everything to know on Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold from his girlfriend to net worth
Photo by MB Media/Getty Images
Photo by MB Media/Getty Images
Trent Alexander-Arnold ‘looked devastated’ after coming off for Liverpool
As spotted by journalist Lewis Steele on Twitter, a ‘devastated’ Alexander-Arnold took four minutes to hobble around the pitch and down the tunnel, with the reporter writing: “Trent Alexander-Arnold took more than four minutes to get round the pitch and head down the tunnel. Looks devastated”
With Liverpool taking part in the League Cup final this weekend, losing Alexander-Arnold will be massive for the Reds ahead of their first opportunity to win silverware this season, with the defender one of Slot’s most important players.
Indeed, Liverpool’s lack of options at right-back could lead to some creative tactical solutions in the coming weeks, especially with Bradley not slated to return for the Reds for some time having been ruled out through injury.
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And if Alexander-Arnold joins the Northern Ireland international on the treatment table, Liverpool could have a real problem on their hands in trying to wrap up the Premier League title, even with a 15-point lead over Arsenal.
Who could slot in at right-back for Liverpool?
With Liverpool also losing Ibrahima Konate to injury against PSG, the Reds face a big problem heading into Sunday’s cup final against Newcastle, especially with Joe Gomez also out for some time for the Anfield side.
And in regards to the right-back position, the most likely candidate to replace Alexander-Arnold is Quansah, with Wataru Endo potentially slotting in at centre-back to replace Koante to allow the England youth international to slot in on the right.
Whether or not Alexander-Arnold’s injury is serious is yet to be determined, yet for Liverpool fans and Slot, there will be an anxious wait to see what happens with the 26-year-old and how severe his ankle problem is.