Journalist Pete O’Rourke has told The Transfer Tavern of a major injury concern at Liverpool as the season heads towards its pivotal point.
The lowdown: Trent Alexander-Arnold absent
This comes after marauding full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold was forced to pull out of England duty with a hamstring injury.
As a result, the 23-year-old will miss the friendlies against Switzerland and Ivory Coast before domestic action returns when Liverpool face Watford at Anfield.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp couldn’t be sure whether the West Derby-born star would be ready for the clash or indeed the challenges to follow, saying only that the issue would take ‘weeks’.
The latest: Could miss crucial games
Speaking to The Transfer Tavern, O’Rourke believes Alexander-Arnold’s absence is a huge blow to Klopp’s side.
“Real worry when Jurgen Klopp said he was out for several weeks, especially at such a key stage of the season. Liverpool need all their top players fit and firing.”
‘Several’ typically means more than two, so a three-week absence would immediately rule him out against Watford.
After the meeting with Hornets – in which Liverpool could move to the top of the Premier League – the UEFA Champions League returns with a two-legged quarter-final against Benfica before a crucial doubleheader against Manchester City in both the league and FA Cup.
It would be a ‘real worry’ indeed if the mercurial playmaker misses a single moment of those games, which will all be crucial in the hunt for the quadruple.
The verdict: The importance of Alexander-Arnold
Whilst many will point to the defensive presence of Virgil van Dijk or the goal-scoring prowess of Mohamed Salah as the major keys in this Reds side, the role of Alexander-Arnold cannot be downplayed.
Having already amassed a remarkable 17 assists across all competitions this season, as well as chipping in with two goals and helping keep 21 clean sheets, few can doubt the academy graduate’s impact from right-back. Even ignoring his assists, he ranks in the 99th percentile in Europe for progressive passes (FBref), so his absence costs the side an enormous chunk of their ability to get the ball into dangerous areas quickly.
If the Reds are going to lift any further silverware this season, getting the £72million valued star (Transfermarkt) back up and running as soon as possible will be crucial.
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