Liverpool have a new injury worry to contend with as the busy festive season approaches.
Ryan Gravenberch was forced off in the second half of Sunday's goalless Premier League draw with fierce rivals Manchester United at Anfield.
The Dutch midfielder, who has impressed since arriving on Merseyside from Bayern Munich in the summer, joins an absentee list that already includes the likes of Andy Robertson, Diogo Jota, Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara.
Here is all the latest Liverpool injury news and potential return dates ahead of a hectic run that includes a midweek Carabao Cup quarter-final date with West Ham before a massive title showdown with Arsenal, plus further festive meetings with Burnley and Newcastle before another clash with the Gunners in the FA Cup in the New Year.
Ryan Gravenberch
Gravenberch started against United on Sunday, but was replaced by Cody Gakpo just past the hour mark having suffered a hamstring problem.
After the game, manager Jurgen Klopp expressed hope that it was not a serious issue - though the 21-year-old will now need to be assessed to determine both the extent of the injury and the length of his likely lay-off.
“We will see," Klopp said. "They told me directly after the game it got worse during the game, so that means it was not ‘bam’. He felt a little bit and didn’t show immediately.
“We hoped it would go by, [but] it didn’t. There was this really intense sprint with the ball which ended on the 18-yard line with a collision.
“I hope it is not that serious but we have in the next 10 days three more games, so I don’t know if he will be part of them or one of them. We will see, we have to make a scan.”
Potential return date: Unknown
Alexis Mac Allister
The Argentine World Cup winner has missed Liverpool's last three games as the result of a nasty knee injury suffered in the 2-0 win over struggling Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on December 6.
Initially described as a cut, Klopp revealed last week that he'd never quite seen an injury like it amid uncertainty over when the midfielder would be able to make his return.
"The other boy stepped on his knee and the stud went through pretty much the muscle on to the bone," Klopp said. "Now, we have to wait until the bone is healed and until Macca can deal with the pain, because it is pretty painful.
"Macca is actually a super-tough guy so we have probably to make sure just from an infection point of view nothing happens. That's really important.
"I never had this injury for one of my players before but now we have it.
"I hope it will not take that long, I would like to say it's day by day - but that would look like he could maybe play the next game but he will not be ready for that as well.
"I hope the next three or four days he makes big steps and then we will see."
Potential return date: December 2023
Diogo Jota
Along with goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who has since returned, Jota was injured in the 1-1 draw with title rivals Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on November 25.
He has been out since then, though has been ramping up his return in training over recent weeks.
All being well with no setbacks, the Portuguese should surely be back in the mix over the festive period.
Potential return date: December 2023
Andy Robertson
Robertson suffered a dislocated shoulder while away on international duty with Scotland and has not featured for Liverpool since the 2-2 draw at Brighton on October 8.
The stalwart left-back underwent surgery and has been rehabbing ever since then, with a January comeback likely anticipated.
Potential return date: January 2024
Joel Matip
Matip will not play again for Liverpool this season after suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in the 4-3 win over Fulham on December 3.
The former Cameroon centre-back is out of contract in the summer, though Klopp seems optimistic that he will be offered an extension.
"I'm pretty sure the club will show their class just like they should do it," he said last week. "I'm pretty sure the club has told Joel already whatever happens, as long as he's injured everything is fine and now we have to make decisions together with Joel and how it looks after that.
"He deserves all of the support and he will get it. I would say so but it's not my decision in the end, I cannot sign the paper."
Potential return date: Summer 2024
Thiago Alcantara
Thiago is yet to play for Liverpool this season, having last turned out for the club in April before surgery on a long-standing hip injury.
The Spaniard - also out of contract in the summer - has experienced setbacks that have curtailed his attempts to resume training, though he did spark fresh hope over a return to action by posting a picture of himself arriving at Kirkby last week.
“It’s an ongoing thing,” Klopp said during his last update on Thiago in November.
“And we cannot put any kind of pressure there as well, but we expect him to be back probably start of the New Year.
“It’s now already November, that would mean another four weeks, I would say that’s probably a realistic thing to try.
“We can’t wait, to be honest, to have him back. The player is just exceptional.
“I understand that you ask, but we can’t now have a week-by-week update, because that will not change a lot in this moment.”
Potential return date: February 2024
Stefan Bajcetic
Like Thiago, Bajcetic is a long-term absentee who saw his impressive 2022/23 campaign finished early by injury.
The teenager has at least featured in two games this term, both back in September, though he remains out after another setback, with Klopp taking no risks.
“With Stefan, it’s again one of these things,” Klopp said in November.
“Let me say it like this, Stefan’s quality, potential, talent or whatever, everybody could see and it’s incredible. What a player.
“But he was not ready yet, that’s how it is. They’re still growing, these boys. They’re all different.
“We have other players with a different [skeletal growth], a different body, and OK that’s fine.
“With others it’s a bit too early, so we just have to put the brake on again and just wait until that’s all fine.
“Then Liverpool FC has a wonderful player, a wonderful player, to use.
“But there’s absolutely no time that we can put on that, and we will not, we just have to wait.
“He’s here, he’s training, he’s doing his stuff. We know how good he is, now we have to make sure that we help him to get a body to show that – and not only once, but then three times a week.
“And we will get there, very good news for the club. In the moment, we cannot use him and that’s all.”
Potential return date: Unknown
