Liverpool to Miss 9 Players for Carabao Cup Quarter Final
As Ron Burgundy would say, things really escalated quickly. They really got out of hand fast.
As Liverpool FC vie to book a place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals against Leicester City, they’ll have to do it without the services of as many as nine players.
Fabinho, Curtis Jones, Thiago Alcantara and Virgil van Dijk, who all missed the 2-2 draw with Tottenham at the weekend due to positive covid tests, will not be back in contention for the League Cup clash. Assistant boss Pep Lijnders the club would not rush their returns as they’ll need time to regain full match fitness once they return to full training with the rest of the squad.
The boys are OK. This virus is really unpredictable, so we have to look at it case by case and player by player. Health comes first so we have to make sure we don’t rush it, that they come back whenever they are ready. People underestimate when it’s 10 days’ quarantine, they think they can play immediately on day 11, but football doesn’t work like this. You need training. Because it’s a team sport you need to again get the feeling of the game. What’s most important is that they are healthy, that they stay safe and that we give them time. That we just follow the guidelines and protocols of the doctors, of our scientists. That’s the most important thing.
Jordan Henderson, who was also absent on Sunday, but due to a regular cold, will be assessed. Andrew Robertson will also be suspended for the game after being sent off during Liverpool’s draw with Spurs on Sunday.
In regular non-COVID related injury news, Divock Origi continues to work his way back from a knee injury and will probably miss the game. Nat Phillips is still sidelined with a fractured cheekbone, Adrian is dealing with a calf issue. Harvey Elliott is still rehabbing from his ankle injury from early in the season, and will also miss out.
With so many sidelined, Klopp’s ability to rotate his squad but look for Caoimhin Kelleher, Neco Williams, Joe Gomez, Kostas Tsimikas, Roberto Firmino and Takumi Minamino to get some game time alongside some of the yutes.
