Liverpool have several players who might suffer as a result of team-mates returning from injury in the coming games.
Liverpool are licking their wounds after a 17-game unbeaten run in the Premier League was ended by Arsenal on Sunday. They will be helped in their next match, at home to Burnley, by the returns of several players who missed the trip to the Emirates. Dominik Szoboszlai and Mohamed Salah missed out due to injury with Conor Bradley absent for family reasons and Wataru Endo missing his final match due to international duty with Japan at the Asian Cup.
While not much is known about the severity of Szoboszlai’s problem yet, it is hoped that at least the other three will return for the next match against Burnley this Saturday (February 10). Express Sport looks at four Liverpool players who could suffer from Bradley, Szoboszlai, Endo and Salah’s eventual returns…
Ryan Gravenberch
Gravenberch has made 28 appearances this season – of which 16 have been starts. But now Liverpool have Thiago Alcantara back, there is a lot of competition in midfield. Alexis Mac Allister, Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones are all preferred starters with Thiago, Gravenberch, Endo and Harvey Elliott fighting for spots on the bench.
Thiago’s world-class ability, Endo’s defensive-minded speciality and Elliott’s superior versatility and energy mean that when everybody is fit, all three are currently likelier to make the bench than Gravenberch.
That is not to say the Dutchman will not get any minutes between now and the end of the season, of course. But starts will likely be pretty sporadic in the league, with the FA Cup and Europa League perhaps where the bulk of the £34million summer signing’s involvement will come.
James McConnell
Defensive-minded midfielder McConnell made his mark on his first ever senior start, delivering a brilliant assist in the FA Cup demolition of Norwich City last month. He has amassed just 17 minutes of action outside of that match, however.
As a result of the senior options returning, McConnell may not start another match this season. Still just 19, though, the academy prospect will hope to impress in training with the view to getting some game time from reserve in the Europa League.
Kostas Tsimikas
Tsimikas deputised dependably after Andy Robertson succumbed to injury, only to sustain a broken collarbone in the draw against Arsenal at Anfield before Christmas. The Greek is now back in training but unfortunately for him, Robertson is back too and Joe Gomez has been excellent this season.
With Robertson likely to re-establish himself as the starting left-back, Gomez will be the first-choice back-up from the bench for most matches. That is because the England international can also play at centre-back or at right-back, whereas Tsimikas is only a left-sided defender.
Like Gravenberch, Tsimikas will still play games. But there may not be too many starts in the Premier League provided both Robertson and Gomez stay fit from now until late May.
Bobby Clark
That Liverpool rejected loan interest in 18-year-old midfielder Clark in January indicates Klopp wants to keep working with him before he leaves at the end of the season. Clark has come off the bench in two of the last three league games as well as impressing against Arsenal off the bench in the FA Cup.
But much of his involvement has been because of injuries elsewhere, despite the fact Clark has people inside the club very excited about his potential. He should get some Europa League outings but any more Premier League action will likely only come if injuries strike badly once again.
Predicted full-strength Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
Predicted full-strength Liverpool bench: Kelleher; Bradley, Quansah, Gomez; Endo, Thiago, Elliott; Gakpo, Jota
Missing: Adrian, Tsimikas, Gravenberch, McConnell, Clark, Bajcetic, Gordon, Doka
