Yesterday brought news that Liverpool have suffered yet another major injury blow to the position group where they can ill afford it- the back line. The defender injury crisis deepened as first team right back Trent Alexander-Arnold suffered severe knee ligament damage during the Reds 1-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion this past Saturday.
TAA will be out at least a month, maybe more. The Liverpool Echo reports that no surgery will be required but Alexander-Arnold is definitely out for Saturday’s home Premier League fixture against Crystal Palace, and also upcoming matches against Leicester City, West Ham United and AFC Bournemouth. He’s not the only one on the shelf for this weekend’s match. Let’s take a look at who else won’t be able to feature when the Eagles come to Anfield Road.
Elaborating more on that Liverpool defender injury crisis, Joe Gomez is still sidelined due to a lower leg fracture that he sustained last month. However, Wednesday brought some good news- he’ll be resuming training after this match.
Regarding the centre back issues, Dejan Lovren remains out while Joel Matip was only named to the bench this past weekend. He may be fit enough for starters minutes this weekend, but we’ll see.
It’s likely we could see midfielder Fabinho play in a central defense role again this season.
Fabinho shifting from the midfield to defense further adds to the depth issues in that position group right now as Gini Wijnaldum is also expected to miss this one and we don’t have confirmation yet that Adam Lallana will be cleared to go.
You also have the very long term absentees Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Rhian Brewster.
Flipping over to the visitors, they have an injury crisis of their own, at goalkeeper. Both Vicente Guaita and Wayne Hennessey suffered injuries against Watford last weekend, meaning they may have to dip into the January transfer market in order procure reinforcements in the position group.
Guaita and Hennessey both face late fitness tests, and if they don’t pass then 39-year-old Julian Speroni will be in between the sticks against Liverpool’s high powered attack. Reds supporters have to be loving that matchup.
Meanwhile striker Christian Benteke will be hoping to be in the first team against his former club, and possibly score against them after having returned from a knee injury last weekend against the Hornets.
Liverpool FC vs Crystal Palace FYIs
Kickoff: Saturday, January 19, 3:00 PM local, Anfield
Liverpool starting XI prediction: go to this link
Google Result Probability: Liverpool FC win 82%, Draw 13%, Crystal Palace win 5%
Jurgen Klopp Press Conference Video, Quotes: coming Friday
Odds via Bet365: Liverpool 21/100, Draw 13/2, Crystal Palace 16/1
Prediction: Liverpool 2, Crystal Palace 1
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.