Mohamed Salah injury update as Liverpool given boost ahead of Carabao Cup final
Salah, Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai face late fitness tests but Alisson Becker, Curtis Jones and Trent Alexander-Arnold have been ruled out until after the international break
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Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai could all be fit for the Carabao Cup final as Liverpool have hope they could welcome three players back against Chelsea at Wembley.
But their injury problems have worsened in another respect with confirmation that Alisson Becker, Curtis Jones and Trent Alexander-Arnold will all be out for at least another month and will miss the potential Premier League title decider against Manchester City.
It also means that Alexander-Arnold will miss England’s games against Brazil and Belgium, while the in-form Jones will be denied the chance of a first senior international call-up.
Before then, Liverpool could get two of their top scorers and their most expensive summer signing back to face Chelsea on Sunday if they come through training sessions unscathed.
Salah, who had been out for a month with a hamstring injury sustained at the African Cup of Nations, scored in his comeback as a substitute at Brentford on Saturday. However, he then had some discomfort and missed Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Luton but the Egyptian, who has scored 19 times this season, faces two critical training sessions.
Nunez was substituted after scoring Liverpool’s opener in their 4-1 victory at Brentford last weekend, which Jurgen Klopp then described as precautionary, but was ruled out of the Luton game.
The £60m midfielder Szoboszlai scored in Liverpool’s 4-1 win over Chelsea last month but has missed their four subsequent games with a hamstring problem.
And assistant manager Pep Lijnders said: “Dom, Darwin and Mo: we have to really see. We have two more days, today’s session and tomorrow’s session, and we will check if they can be there. It will be great if they can.”
Jones came off at Brentford while Alisson was ruled out the day before the game and vice-captain Alexander-Arnold has already sat out their last three games.
And Lijnders said that none will be back soon as each will sit out their next seven games, including the clash with City at Anfield on 10 March.
“Ali [is a] muscle injury, [he will be back] after international break,” the Dutchman added. “Curtis is a high ankle sprain. He will be in and around the international break. Trent [is a] lateral ligament, he will be after the international break.”
In addition, Diogo Jota, Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic and Ben Doak remain out as Klopp could be missing 11 players on Sunday.
Lijnders urged Liverpool to turn their problems into an opportunity as he explained: “In Holland, you say every disadvantage has its advantage. Liverpool Football Club was made for major trophies and each year we should fight for them.”
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