Here we provide you with the latest updates on all Liverpool’s first-team injuries, suspensions and availability issue
THIAGO ALCANTALA
Issue: Muscle injury
Last appearance: vs Arsenal (4 February, 2024
After ten months out following a slow recovery from hip surgery, Thiago finally made his long-awaited comeback in the 3-1 defeat to Arsenal on 4 Februar
However, the 32-year-old suffered a new injury during his brief cameo and is set for another spell on the sideline
Speaking on Friday, 9 February, Jurgen Klopp told reporters: “Thiago is not cool. He showed a lot of things on LFCTV and looked outstanding, so we took him, let him play for a few minutes. It’s a muscle issue, we don’t know the extent yet but it’s not cool. Not good news for him or us
On 27 February, Klopp didn’t rule out the possibility that Thiago, whose contract expires this summer, had already played his last game for Liverpool
He told reporters: “I don’t know to be honest. What he has to do now from a medical point of view, I don’t know if that will mean he can play again. That’s not a short-term thing
Potential return date: Unknown
TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Issue: Knee injury
Last appearance: vs Burnley (10 February, 2024
Alexander-Arnold suffered a reoccurrence of the knee issue that saw him miss four games in January and had to be substituted during the Reds’ 3-1 win over Burnley
Pep Lijnders predicted that Liverpool’s vice-captain will return after the March international break, with Klopp recently suggesting that he will be available in early April after almost two months out of action
The German claimed that he could be ready to return the week after Liverpool’s game with Brighton on 31 March, which would be an enormous boost for the Reds ahead of a tricky run-i
Potential return date: Early April
STEFAN BAJCET
Issue: Adductor injury
Last appearance: vs Leicester (27 September, 2023
Like his countryman and fellow midfielder Thiago, Bajcetic’s return from a long-standing injury has been slow and beset by complication
The teenager has played this season – making two appearances back in September against LASK and Leicester in the cups. Since those outings, however, it’s been back to the treatment room for the Spain Under-21 star, whose breakout 2022/23 campaign was cut short by an adductor proble
In late February, Klopp revealed that Bajcetic was “pain-free”, adding on 15 March that the starlet could be back in team training after the international break
“Stefan is now pretty much in his pre-season to make him physically ready,” said Klopp. “At the moment, if he feels something it’s not injury, it’s intensit
“He’s a young lad, so we have to make sure that we don’t use him before he’s really ready because what happened before was that the body was not 100 per cent ready for the intensity that professional football is asking fo
“He’s in a much better place now, it’s been a really long time unfortunately to improve that. But he’s in his pre-season and I think he will be part of team training as well after the international break
Potential return date: April
ALISSON BECK
Issue: Hamstring injury
Last appearance: vs Arsenal (4 February, 2024
Liverpool have been without goalkeeper Alisson since the 3-1 defeat to Arsenal on 4 February after the Brazilian sustained another hamstring injury in trainin
Caoimhin Kelleher has since taken over duties between the sticks, with Alisson sidelined for the immediate futur
Brazil national team manager Junior Dorival has ruled the keeper out of the March internationals — a timeline backed up by Lijnder
Klopp spoke about several players who were nearing a return after the international period on 15 March, but there was worryingly no mention of Alisson
Potential return date: April
BEN DOAK
Issue: Knee injury
Last appearance: vs Union S-G (14 December, 2023
Teenage winger Doak had been tipped for a big season in 2023/24 as Mohamed Salah’s understudy but has only made five first-team appearances prior to an injury suffered while playing with the Under-21s in Decembe
The Scotland youth international required surgery on a torn meniscus, with Lijnders admitting he could be sidelined for some tim
He said back in December: “That one will take [a] longer time. He is young, he is a fit guy, he is a positive guy so for sure he will come back stronger, and we need him to come back with the same fire he has with the ball, how he was. He can take time and we will wait for him
Potential return date: Unknown
CURTIS JONES
Issue: Ankle injury
Last appearance: vs Brentford (17 February, 2024
Jones took a heavy knock during the first half of Liverpool’s in over Brentford in February and had to be substituted, later leaving the stadium on crutches
Speaking to reporters after the game, Klopp said: “Curtis got a knock on the lower part of his shin, or above the ankle. We will see what that means. It was what he felt, but he was not 100 per cent sure. That Curtis cannot play on tells you that it must be something because he would have played on at all costs
Confirmed to be a ‘high ankle sprain’, Klopp revealed on 15 March that Jones has a ‘chance’ of being available for the clash with Brighton at the end of the month
Potential return date: vs Brighton (31 March, 2024
DIOGO JOTA
Issue: Knee injury
Last appearance: vs Brentford (17 February, 2024
Another casualty of the Brentford victory, Jota got the assist for Darwin Nuñez’s opener but was later stretchered from the field after Christian Norgaard landed on his knee following an aerial challenge
Reports in Portugal claimed that the forward had avoided the worst-case scenario injury, but could be out for around two months with ligament damag
Klopp confirmed that Jota’s absence is a case of ‘months rather than weeks
On 15 March, Klopp revealed that Jota has a chance of being fit and available by early April, with a similar recovery timeframe to Alexander-Arnold
Potential return date: Early April
IBRAHIMA KONATE
Issue: Hamstring injury
Last appearance: vs Sparta Prague (7 March, 2024
Konate went down injured during Liverpool’s 5-1 Europa League win over Sparta Prague, after being unable to sprint back to defen
Liverpool injuries, suspensions & potential return date
