Liverpool in injury crisis for Leicester City game

It may be quicker to make a list of the players not injured ahead of Liverpool’s game against Leicester City on Sunday at Anfield than the ones that are hurt.

A quick look at Jurgen Klopp’s injured list shows that 10 players are at various stages of recovery. Of course, everyone knows Virgil van Dijk is out with a knee injury. He was joined last week by fellow centre-back Joe Gomez, who suffered a knee tendon injury on international duty with England. But the casualty list increased this week as players returned from international duty.

So, what about the rest of the Reds? Is anyone fit to face Leicester City on Sunday?

Who’s injured?

• Fabinho — Will take a late fitness test
• Thiago Alcantara — Will be accessed Sunday, but unlikely to make the squad
• Rhys Williams — Will take a late fitness test
• Trent Alexander-Arnold — Calf injury has him ruled out
• Neco Williams — Will take a late fitness test
• Andrew Robertson — Likely to place after suffering a hamstring strain on international duty
• Mohamed Salah — Ruled out due to positive COVID-19 test
• Jordan Henderson — Ruled out due to hamstring strain picked up on international duty
• Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain — Suffered knee injury in preseason and has not returned
• Virgil van Dijk — Out for the season after knee surgery

Talk will centre around Liverpool’s defence with Rhys Williams, Fabinho, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson and Neco Williams all on the injured list.

If those players are all unable to go — Alexander-Arnold is the only one thus far ruled out — then James Milner, Joel Matip, Nat Phillips, and Kostas Tsimikas will most likely play for Klopp in defence. It is a ravaged defence as Liverpool need to win to move level on points with first-place Tottenham Hotspur.