Ryan Gravenberch has pulled out of duty with the Netherlands due to an injury picked up in the Carabao Cup final, but it could be good news for Liverpool.
Gravenberch is Arne Slot‘s third most-used player this season behind only Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, but the midfielder has slowed down of late.
There has been a tiredness evident in his game and this coincided with a frustrating week for the Reds as they exited the Champions League and lost the final of the Carabao Cup.
It may have come as little surprise then that injury eventually took its toll, with Gravenberch departing the Netherlands squad ahead of their UEFA Nations League clashes with Spain.
The news was announced on Wednesday night, with Liverpool explaining that his withdrawal was due to a “fitness issue.”
But according to BBC Sport’s Nizaar Kinsella on X, Gravenberch leaving the Netherlands camp was only a precaution and he is not expected to miss any of the run-in.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, September 14, 2024: Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Anfield. Notts Forest won 1-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool are next in action on April 2, when they host Everton in the Premier League, with a 17-day gap between domestic fixtures.
That gives Gravenberch ample time to recover before the Merseyside derby, and pulling out of international duty certainly helps this.
It may be a cynical view but there is a theory that Slot may have encouraged his No. 38 not to take part in the Netherlands’ quarter-finals in order to return at full fitness.
Thursday night saw Alisson forced off in Brazil’s 2-1 win over Colombia with a head injury, which could see the goalkeeper sit out their final World Cup qualifier of the break next week.
This could, in a roundabout way, afford the 32-year-old a rest before the final nine games of the Premier League campaign.
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - Thursday, October 12, 2023: England's Liverpool duo Jarell Quansah (L) and Harvey Elliott celebrate after the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualifying Group F game between England and Serbia at the City Ground. England won 9-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool are already without Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Bradley, Joe Gomez and Tyler Morton, with none of the defensive trio expected back until April at the earliest.
Meanwhile, it has now been confirmed that Jarell Quansah – first-choice right-back in the absence of Alexander-Arnold, Bradley and Gomez – will not take part in England’s World Cup qualifier against Albania on Friday.
The youngster is one of three players cut from Thomas Tuchel’s squad, with the head coach having called up 26 players but only being able to name 23 in his matchday selection.
Quansah will stay with the England setup and could feature against Latvia on Monday evening.