Liverpool and Arsenal’s game at the weekend ended in a 1-1 draw and next up, the Reds will take on Burnley in their Boxing Day Premier League tie.
The draw means Liverpool are still one point behind league leaders Arsenal but if they can beat 19th-placed Burnley on Tuesday night then they will go to the top for the time being.
Turf Moor is never a comfortable place to visit and Jurgen Klopp is likely to miss eight first-team players so things could get a bit tricky for the German manager.
Andy Robertson and Thiago are long-term absentees and they will only return towards the end of January. Alexis Mac Allister and Jota are both close to full fitness but as per the Liverpool manager, the pair will only be back at the start of the new year.
Joel Matip has ruptured his ACL so his season for Liverpool is over and to make matters worse, full-back Tsimikas suffered a broken collarbone during the draw against Arsenal.
Tskimikas’ injury is a big blow for Klopp because right now, the manager has only one fit full-back. Trent will play on the right and because both Robertson and Tsimikas are unavailable, Joe Gomez will have to play on the left-hand side.
Luis Diaz picked up a knee injury at the weekend as well but the winger’s knock is not serious and he should be fit to play on Boxing Day. Obviously, Diaz will go through a late fitness test but all the reports are suggesting that he is not going to miss out.
The manager said after the Arsenal game: ‘It was knee on knee. Lucho told me ‘little pain’. [The] physios were not too concerned, but you never know, and we play in three days, so we have to see.’
The injury list is slowly getting longer and longer for the Liverpool manager and Klopp cannot afford any further setbacks, not at least in the defensive areas.
Burnley have won just three league games so far this season so beating them won’t be much of a challenge for Liverpool but one more injury in the back four and the Reds’ title challenge could come crumbling down in the next few weeks.
