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Arne Slot will have to make do without the defender but hopes to have the England international back before the end of the season.
Fulham and West Ham are likely to face a Liverpool side without the services of key man Trent Alexander-Arnold next month with the Reds confirming a serious injury blow to the full back.
Arne Slot has insisted that the player will be back before the end of the season but the ankle injury looks likely to keep him out of the trip to Craven Cottage on April 6 and the visit of West Ham on April 13. Slot said: “Trent is not available. He will not be there at the final. But he is still to be assessed for how long it will take but we do expect him back before the end of the season.”
Alexander-Arnold picked up the injury in the second half of the Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday. Crucially, he will miss out of the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United on Sunday. He had already been left out of Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad.
Liverpool injury blow ahead of West Ham and Fulham
Despite Liverpool’s rampant Premier League form this season, it’s been a somewhat hit and miss campaign for Alexander-Arnold. Known for his attacking threat, the full-back has scored just twice this term and picked up six assists in the top flight.
Slot has defended the player, who scored against the Hammers in December with a memorable strike from distance. Speaking after Alexander-Arnold faced criticism for his showing in the 2-2 draw with Manchester United in January, the Liverpool boss said: "I could talk for hours about that goal [vs West Ham]. The biggest compliment Trent could get was the reaction of everyone [on Saturday] after the Manchester United game.
"Every player around the world, maybe except for a few, has a bad game and it is completely normal. But the moment Trent has one, everyone has an opinion on it. Maybe that is because of the contract situation. If that wasn't there, I don't know if people would have reacted in the same way."
Alexander-Arnold bags wondergoal against Hammers
Liverpool thrashed West Ham 5-0 on December 29, in one of Julen Lopetegui’s final games in charge of the side. Speaking about the Alexander-Arnold goal, former Premier League striker Glenn Murray labelled the finish as ‘Beckham-esque’ on Final Score. He added: "He makes it look so effortless. His technique is sublime, the way he strikes the ball."
Speaking after that defeat to Liverpool, Lopetegui said: “We are very sad for our fans because we are disappointed in the way we lost. We are talking about the best team in the Premier League and around the world, but at home and in front of our fans, I am very sorry about this.
"We had one moment at the start after their first chance, and after we could've drawn through Mo Kudus, but they deserved it today. In the half, the match was gone. It's been a tough day for us."
In other news, West Ham and Fulham have been handed a transfer blow with Crystal Palace in ‘advance negotiations’ over a contract extension.