Liverpool F.C. got some good news, on the fitness front, ahead of their League Cup clash with Spurs on Thursday night. It appears that the knee injury to Trent Alexander-Arnold isn’t as bad as had been initially suspected. It’s more going to be a matter of days than a matter of weeks, in regards to a timeline of return for the English fullback.
Arne Slot articulated what happened with Alexander-Arnold and his subbing off on Saturday, in the 2-0 win over AFC Bournemouth.
EFL Cup Semifinal, Leg 2/2 FYIs
Thursday, February 6, 8pm, Anfield, Liverpool, UK
Tottenham leads 1-0 on aggregate
Team News: Liverpool Tottenham
Starting XI Predictions: Liverpool Tottenham
How They Got Here:
Liverpool- Quarterfinals: Southampton 3-2, Round of 16: Brighton 3-2, Third Round: West Ham 5-1
Tottenham- Quarterfinals: Manchester United 4-3, Round of 16: Manchester City 2-1, Third Round: Coventry 2-1 Second Round: Nottingham Forest 1-1 (4-3 penalties)
Reds Team News
“The situation was that he said to me, ‘You have to take me off’. He sat on the floor – he felt something. I cannot tell you exactly what it is and how bad it is, of course, because we are one hour after the game, but it’s never a good sign
… This is not a fact, but I would be surprised if he plays on Thursday, but let’s hope he’s back with us as soon as possible.’
Overall, the situation doesn’t look too bad, now does it? The only other injury/fitness news situation in Liverpool surrounds another English defender, Joe Gomez. He could make a long-awaited return from a thigh injury on Thursday.
“Training today,” Slot said of Gomez on Friday. “We have 20 players available. We have to make the smartest decision for them and to win the game tomorrow.”
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, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and RG. 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.