Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara faces up to six weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury picked up in Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Fulham. Jurgen Klopp wouldn’t have been happy with his side’s start to the Premier League season at Craven Cottage, and Thiago’s impending absence is a fresh blow.
The Athletic report Thiago is expected to be out of action until mid-September after he limped off early in the second half at Saturday lunchtime. And a scan since has revealed the injury could leave Klopp without one of his most influential players for as many as six games.
Based on the current timescale of the 31-year-old’s recovery, he looks set to miss fixtures against Crystal Palace, Manchester United, AFC Bournemouth, Newcastle United, Everton and Wolves. It’s a nightmare scenario for Klopp, who is already missing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Curtis Jones through injury.
The German coach was also without Naby Keita for the 2022/23 league opener in west London due to illness, but he will return to contention for Monday’s Anfield return against Crystal Palace. Regardless, Thiago’s continued injury woe is an unwanted hitch early doors in this season’s title race, with Manchester City already boasting a two-point advantage.
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The Spain international’s ill-timed absence has prompted many fans to clamour Liverpool for further transfer activity to recruit a midfielder before the September 1 deadline. However, Klopp indicated the club were waiting for the right player rather than a quick fix amid strong links to Jude Bellingham, who’s staying at Borussia Dortmund this season.
He said: “A transfer must make sense now and in the long-term. We have eight midfielders. We still have enough midfielders. It’s not that we lack midfielders; it’s just some of them are injured. This isn’t a good situation; I don’t like it at all. We have to see how we react on that, but for sure, not panic.”
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