Liverpool supervisor Jurgen Klopp admits there isn’t any participant on the planet who might exchange Trent Alexander-Arnold after the right-back was dominated out for various weeks with a hamstring damage.
The defender’s setback is a big blow to the Reds’ hopes of sustaining their pursuit of an unprecedented quadruple with a key month forward together with a visit to Premier League title rivals Manchester Metropolis on April 10.
Klopp doesn’t have a ready-made senior substitute. Joe Gomez can play on the suitable however his most popular place is within the centre and the Reds boss should trend a plan utilizing him, midfielder James Milner and teenager Conor Bradley.
Alexander-Arnold has supplied a career-best 16 assists this season, plus two objectives, and that will likely be not possible to breed from some place else within the squad.
“Trent is out with a hamstring, so he’ll can’t be a part of England as properly. No excellent news,” he stated.
“We’ll see how lengthy it should take however, after all, to exchange Trent is troublesome however doable. We at all times did it.
“The way in which he performs, I don’t know any participant who performs like Trent on the planet. So it will likely be troublesome to discover a one versus one substitute.
“We now have Joe. Theoretically we are able to change the system as properly. These sorts of issues, so we now have a few choices, however you might be proper he’s very influential.
“In case you look up to now when Milly needed to step in he did extremely properly. Extremely properly. He simply needs to be obtainable after which that’s positive. I don’t know if he’ll for Sunday.
“Perhaps we now have a really younger resolution as properly.”
Klopp additionally has an damage fear over Mohamed Salah, who was solely match sufficient for a spot on the bench in Wednesday’s win at Arsenal – the sport during which Alexander-Arnold was injured however nonetheless accomplished 90 minutes.
“Mo felt his foot a bit after the sport so we should see what they do with that,” added Klopp.
“On prime of that there are another fine details. We now have to attend.”
The forthcoming worldwide break might reduce barely the absence of Alexander-Arnold but it surely nonetheless appears probably he’ll miss matches in opposition to Watford, Metropolis, Aston Villa and Manchester United not less than and presumably the go to of Everton earlier than the top of April.
However the two-week hiatus does nothing for the momentum constructed up over 9 successive Premier League wins and the rhythm Klopp likes his aspect to have.
“I would favor to have the boys collectively for 2 weeks – that may be significantly better – however clearly they’ve lots of essential video games to play, two particularly for Sadio and Mo,” he added.
“Let’s simply hope and pray they arrive dwelling wholesome. However rhythm break or not, it occurs continuously.
“That is the third or fourth worldwide break of the season. However earlier than the worldwide break we now have an extremely essential sport in opposition to Nottingham.
“My first time. I do know Nottingham solely from after I was a child with Robin Hood. There will likely be no time for sightseeing, however I’m nonetheless wanting ahead to it.”
