Liverpool FC are top of the table as we begin another boring international break, but they do have two new injury concerns- midfielder Alexis Mac Allister (knock) and goalkeeper Alisson (hamstring). In other words, the Saturday lunchtime fixture win over Crystal Palace came with a big price. Alisson had to be withdrawn in the 79th minute of action while Mac Allister was subbed off at halftime.
Manager Arne Slot provided an update on both, following the win, and it doesn’t sound good for Alisson.
“With Alisson it is clear he will be out for maybe a few weeks,” Slot said, “If a player walks off like he does, that normally means he’s not in the Brazil squad, and I don’t expect him to be in the first game afterwards.”
The Reds have three huge matches (home versus Chelsea Oct 20, at RB Leipzig Oct. 23 and at Arsenal Oct. 27) coming up after this FIFA window, and Slot basically ruled Alisson out for all of them (at least based on what he saw this weekend).
“Unfortunately Ali will not be with us in those matches I assume, if I saw how he walked off the pitch,” the Dutchman responded, to a specific query on this topic.
Regarding Mac Allister, Slot said the situation is “difficult for me to judge in this moment,” although he also implied that the Argentinian might have been able to continue playing on, but that it wasn’t worth the risk.
Finally, Harvey Elliott remains out with a broken foot.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.