Liverpool, after securing a last-gasp victory over Fulham last time out, have maintained their Premier League title push in their first season fielding their rebuilt midfield. Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch have now all scored for the Reds, with two of the summer signings netting in the aforementioned 4-3 victory over Marco Silva's side. But as a busy festive period approaches, it wasn't all good news for the Reds at Anfield.
The worst thing that can happen as the title race intensifies is the pile of injuries. Yet recent news has dealt Jurgen Klopp a major blow when it comes to one particular Liverpool star, who could reportedly miss several months.
Liverpool injury news
Liverpool very nearly suffered in the absence of Alisson Becker, shipping three goals against Fulham, before mounting a late comeback courtesy of Endo and Trent Alexander-Arnold. As much as Caoimhin Kelleher stepped up, there are not many goalkeepers in the world who can replicate what Alisson does for the Reds. Klopp was also without Diogo Jota in his side's most recent outing to hand him one less option in an otherwise fiery attacking force. In the end, however, it was another injury blow that stole the headlines.
According to Andy Hunter of The Guardian, Joel Matip is now set to be out for several months after suffering a knee ligament injury against Fulham. This means that the central defender may never play for Liverpool again, with his contract set to expire in the summer in what would be a devastating end to a fantastic era at Anfield. Speaking to the press about the injury, Klopp said:
"It doesn’t look great’ … but we have to wait for the scans and the scan isn’t here yet. You can imagine it doesn’t look great. It is never good news [when a doctor says that immediately]. I’ve never had that in all my years where someone says: ‘Oh my God, it’s completely wrong and there’s nothing wrong, he can play tomorrow.’ It doesn’t happen.”
Liverpool's title chances dented without "outstanding" Matip
Matip's injury history at Liverpool makes for a frustrating read, but when he is fit, he is one of Klopp's most reliable players next to Virgil van Dijk. In the current campaign, the former Cameroon international has kept Ibrahima Konate out of the side and helped the Reds to rise in the Premier League once more, where they sit second and five points adrift of Arsenal with a game in hand on the Gunners.
Joel Matip
22/23
21/22
20/21
19/20
18/19
17/18
Games Missed Per Season
5
2
18
19
6
17
Klopp has been full of praise for Matip when he has been available, previously telling Liverpool's official website:
“I think it was the Burnley game [in December] when he played for the first time but it was not the Joel we had before he got injured, because when he got injured it was outstanding what he did, especially the Napoli game – where he got the injury. He played a really top-class game."
