Liverpool FC had to settle for a draw against Fulham in the season opener, and this tie came with a loss, in the form of midfielder Thiago Alcantara. The 31-year-old midfielder limped out of the match in the 51′ with a hamstring injury, and he now faces several weeks on the shelf. That’s according to various reports, which claim that he’s not expected to feature again in the month of August. The details of the injury and extent of the damage are not known at this time.
You already know how secretive LFC can be about injury news, and you shouldn’t expect Jurgen Klopp to be all that more revealing when he gets asked about this topic on Friday at his news conference.
And according to Sky Sports, Thiago will “have another scan later this week as his rehabilitation from the injury continues.” In his two plus seasons at the Merseyside club, Thiago has missed time due to issues with his knee, calf, and hip not to mention a positive covid-19 test.
The Reds still have midfield options in Naby Keita, Curtis Jones, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Harvey Elliott, but those first two names this past Saturday due to injury or illness. In other words, Klopp could have a selection crisis on his hands soon in that position group.
Yet he maintains his team’s transfer business is done for the summer.
“We said we don’t need a midfielder because we have enough – and we actually have enough, but the problem now is we get punished for something that is not our responsibility really because things like this can happen,” said Klopp after the Fulham draw.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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