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As many as six Liverpool players could be absent for the Reds' upcoming clash against Watford in the Premier League. If the reports are true, this could put Jurgen Klopp's men in a precarious position.
A report from Express has stated that six players could miss the Reds' match against Watford on Saturday (October 16). A variety of reasons have been mentioned for the same.
Portuguese forward Diogo Jota is one of the rumored absentees. Jota was sent home by Portugal due to an injury problem. He missed their match against Luxembourg yesterday (October 12).
Jota had joined his national team for the ongoing international break but did not train with his teammates due to a muscle problem. He instead worked with physio Joao Britto on the issue before being released from the squad. The Portuguese FA issued a statement about the same which read:
“Diogo Jota was dismissed by the National Selector, Fernando Santos, after being considered unavailable by the FPF Health and Performance Unit to face Luxembourg, in a meeting to be held this Tuesday.”
The statement casts massive doubt on Jota playing for Liverpool this weekend. The forward has played nine matches for the Reds this season and has scored three goals.
Another rumored high-profile absentee for Liverpool is right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Englishman has been out for a while now and did not feature in the Reds' last fixture before the international break, a 2-2 draw with Manchester City.
Alexander-Arnold was also not called up by Gareth Southgate for England's matches, which could mean he is not fully fit as yet. The 23-year-old has played six matches for Liverpool this season and has registered three assists.
Meanwhile, striker Divock Origi is also in doubt for the match against Watford, reportedly due to illness. Origi has made only four appearances so far for Liverpool this season, scoring a solitary goal and assisting two more. The Belgian is unlikely to be a big miss for Klopp's side having been on the peripheries at Anfield in recent times.
Fabinho and Alisson also likely to miss Liverpool's clash with Watford
Liverpool's Brazilian duo of Fabinho and Alisson Becker are also set to miss the Reds' upcoming Premier League fixture. The duo are currently with their national team, who play Uruguay on Thursday (October 14) night.
Given that the fixture will take place less than 48 hours before Liverpool's clash against Watford, it is unlikely Alisson or Fabinho will play on Saturday.
So far, Alisson has played in nine matches and kept four clean sheets for Klopp's side. Fabinho, on the other hand, has played in eight matches and has a goal and an assist for Liverpool this season.
Rounding off the absentees for the Reds is Harvey Elliott. The Welsh youngster suffered a serious injury in Liverpool's 3-0 win over Leeds United on September 12. Elliott is expected to be a long-term absentee, with no timeline in place as of yet for his return.
It will also be interesting to see if Thiago Alcantara plays for Liverpool this weekend. The Spanish midfielder has missed the last four matches due to a calf injury. Alcantara was reportedly absent from Liverpool's most recent training session ahead of the Reds' clash with Watford.
