The good news for Liverpool FC on Thursday was that they got a much needed win at Tottenham Hotspur. However, the 3-1 victory came with a heavy price for Liverpool. Already thin at the back, more injuries arose for the champions, and thus the Reds will limp into the Olympic Stadium on Sunday to face West Ham United.
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Injury News
The bad news started early on Thursday for Liverpool, with Fabinho missing due to a muscle injury.
While Jurgen Klopp can be extremely vague in talking about injuries, but did say Fabinho would miss the West Ham match. With matches against Manchester City, Leicester and the Champions League Round of 16 looming, caution will be the approach.
Things got worse during the game, when Joel Matip left with an ankle injury. The initial fear was severe ligament damage, which could end his season, but there was a little more optimism on Friday.
Liverpool still await the results of Matip’s scan, but he will be out for at least a couple of weeks. Diogo Jota is out with a knee injury and won’t return until sometime in February. Naby Keita is recovering from a muscle injury, but has still not resumed training.
Klopp said Friday that Joe Gomez is likely done for the year with a patellar tendon injury. Virgil van Dijk is also likely out for the season with an ACL injury.
Centerback options
Coming into the season, Liverpool were playing with fire as they had only three senior center back options. All three are now out with injury, two of them likely for the season. Midfielder-turned-center back Fabinho is out as well. Jordan Henderson has filled in as an emergency option, and Gini Wijnaldum is also capable of playing the position.
Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams both lack experience, but need to play big roles for the club moving forward. While they have been hesitant to do it so far, Liverpool should turn to the transfer market to pick up a center back – either on loan or to buy.
American Aaron Long of New York Red Bulls is one name that has popped up, as is former Arsenal man Shkodran Mustafi.
Liverpool have interest in Leipzig center backs Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate, but both are pricey. However, the two squads meet in the Champions League in two weeks, so business is unlikely.
Betting Lines
Liverpool are -133 favorites to win on Sunday. West Ham are +333 underdogs with +280 odds given for a draw.