Diogo Jota faces “months” on the sidelines after injuring his knee in Liverpool’s win over Brentford, adding to boss Jurgen Klopp’s rising injury difficulties as the club seeks Premier League success.
The 4-1 triumph in London on Saturday came at a high cost, with attacker Jota and midfielder Curtis Jones both forced off in the first half.
Jones exited the stadium on crutches after hurting his ankle, while Jota was taken away on a stretcher, and forward Darwin Nunez was also pulled due to a knock.
Goalkeeper Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominik Szoboszlai will be sidelined for Liverpool’s home match against struggling Luton at Anfield on Wednesday while Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip remain out of action.
Speaking about the injury situation on Tuesday, Klopp, whose team are two points clear of second-placed Arsenal, said the situation was “not great”.
“I would like to sit here and say we have absolutely no issues but obviously we have some,” the Liverpool boss said on Tuesday.
“So, not available is obviously Ali (Becker). That’s a muscle injury where we don’t know exactly how long it takes but definitely not for the foreseeable time coming back.
“Then we have Diogo with a knee issue, is ruled out. Curtis, with a bone/ligament issue, ruled out.
“And then we have the others where we will deal with it day by day with muscle things. We will see for tomorrow.”
The German did not give an update on Nunez during his pre-match press conference.
When pressed on timeframes for the injuries, Klopp said: “With Diogo, it will obviously take rather months.
“It’s with the injuries as well, so like you have important days. So, day five, day 10, they are always important days when you then judge the situation again because nobody reacts in the same way and it depends on the pain level they still have and stuff like this.
“I couldn’t give you a timeframe even if I wanted to, so that’s just how it is.”
Liverpool, locked in a Premier League title tussle with Arsenal and Manchester City, take on Chelsea in Sunday’s League Cup final and are still in the FA Cup and Europa League.
Klopp, in his final season at Anfield, praised his squad players for stepping up when required.
“We are where we are because of them,” he said. “That’s how it is, because the boys really delivered. We will see how many of them we will have to use and will give the opportunity because in a good moment they all can be in and we have options there, players who have shown already what they can do.”
stepping up to take the penalty instead of team captain Matthaeus, who did not want to take on the responsibility after changing his boots at half-time.
“No matter where I am, at the airport, out shopping, I am always asked about it,” Brehme had told SID.
“I didn’t think about the significance of this penalty. I didn’t think anything,” said Brehme, who coolly slotted the ball into the corner to the goalkeeper’s right.
“Andreas Brehme is one of the greatest and best football players in German history,” DFB president Bernd Neuendorf said in a statement.
