Arne Slot fears Alisson Becker could face another long spell on the sidelines after the Liverpool goalkeeper suffered a suspected new hamstring problem
Alisson pulled up with just under 15 minutes remaining of the 1-0 Premier League win at Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.
The goalkeeper was distraught as he left the pitch after extensive treatment and, with second-choice keeper Caoimhin Kelleher absent through illness
Czechia international Vitezlsav Jaros was introduced for his senior debut for the closing stages
Alisson will now undergo scans to ascertain the extent of the damage, having already missed two games this season with a hamstring injury
The latest setback is particularly untimely given a difficult run of fixtures after the forthcoming international break, with Premier League games at Anfield against Chelsea, Brighton and Villa and away to Arsenal, Champions League clashes at RB Leipzig and home to Bayer Leverkusen and a League Cup tie at Brighton.
And Slot offered a gloomy early prognosis for Alisson.
Slot
“We don’t know definitely what happened but we do if you walk off like he does that normally means he’s not in the Brazil squad and I don’t expect him to be in the team in the first game we play afterwards (at home to Chelsea on October 20)," said the Reds head coach.
“It’s going to take a few weeks, I assume. I think it is his hamstring.”
Slot added: “Alisson is our clear number one and is the best goalkeeper in the world. It’s always a blow when he gets injured, not only for himself but also for us as a team.
“The positive thing for the team, not only in the goalkeeper position but also in almost every position, is that we also have a second option that’s really good.
“Caoimh has already shown this season that he’s quite clearly the number two goalkeeper. He did really well.
“He was sick yesterday, but it’s very pleasing to see even our third goalkeeper can have an impact on results.”
Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk added: “Alisson's injury doesn't look good.
“It looks like a hamstring injury which was already bothering him, and from which he recovered.”
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