Soccer

Diogo Jota ruled out for ‘months’ in latest Liverpool injury setback

No return date for Curtis Jones or goalkeeper Alisson

Diogo Jota of Liverpool is stretchered off after a challenge with Christian Norgaard (not pictured) during the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Liverpool FC in Brentford on Saturday. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Tue Feb 20 2024 - 20:25
Premier League: Liverpool v Luton Town, Anfield, Thursday, 7.30pm

Liverpool’s injury crisis continues to deepen with the forward Diogo Jota ruled out for “months” and no return date pencilled in for the midfielder Curtis Jones or goalkeeper Alisson.

Jota and Jones were injured at Brentford on Saturday, adding to a list which extends to nine senior players unavailable and is less than ideal with the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea to come on Sunday as the club continues to fight on four fronts.

“We have Diogo with a knee issue ruled out – it will obviously take months,” Jürgen Klopp said before Wednesday’s visit of Luton. “Not available are Ali [Alisson], muscle injury – we don’t know how long it takes but it will take some time to come back – and Curtis with a bone/ligament issue is ruled out.

“Then we have the others where we think we will deal with it day by day. Longer term like Trent [Alexander-Arnold] and Dom [Dominik Szoboszlai] are on their way back but are not in team training yet so they are not available.”

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Other players absent include the midfielders Thiago Alcântara and Stefan Bajcetic and centre-back Joël Matip (ACL). The striker Darwin Núñez was replaced at half-time of the win at Brentford as a precaution.

Jones’ absence means Harvey Elliott or Ryan Gravenberch will probably battle it out for the vacancy but beyond that the option is to drop the forward Cody Gakpo back into a role he has fulfilled intermittently or bring in the 19-year-olds James McConnell, who made the first of his five senior appearances in October, or Bobby Clark, with seven appearances.

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