Seven players to miss Liverpool vs Man City Premier League title showdown as Arsenal watch on
Liverpool and Manchester City will be desperate to get the upper hand in the Premier League title race this weekend, but both sides will be without some key players.
Jurgen Klopp, Manager of Liverpool, embraces Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, prior to the Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool FC at Etihad Stadium on April 01, 2023
Seven players set to miss Liverpool vs Man City title showdown
The Premier League title race is heating up, and this weekend's clash between Liverpool and Manchester City could be a game-changer. However, both teams have been dealt major injury blows, with seven players set to miss the showdown.
Liverpool, fresh from a controversial win over Nottingham Forest, will host the reigning champions at Anfield on Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola's side will be riding high after their impressive victory over Manchester United.
While both teams are eager to secure a win, Manchester City will have an extra day of rest. Liverpool has a challenging Europa League match against Sparta Prague in the Czech Republic on Thursday night.
On the other hand, the Treble winners will host Copenhagen on Wednesday evening in the Champions League round of 16 second leg, leading the tie 3-1 on aggregate.
Here, football.london takes a look at who could be out of action for both Manchester City and Liverpool.
Jack Grealish
Grealish looked devastated when he was forced to leave the field during Manchester City's 6-2 win over Luton Town in the FA Cup earlier this month. The 28-year-old winger was consoled by his teammates after having only recently returned from a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Injury: Groin
Return date: Unknown
What Guardiola said: "I didn't speak to doctors but I think he complained a bit about the groin. Maybe a little bit similar [to before]. He felt really good but unfortunately was injured again at the beginning of the game."
And for Liverpool....
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Trent Alexander-Arnold hasn't played since he hurt his knee again in Liverpool's 3-1 win over Burnley. While he's been away, Klopp has been playing Conor Bradley as right-back.
Injury: Knee.
Return date: Home game against Brighton March 31.
What Klopp said: "As long as I am here, we never forced anybody back and will never do. A thing we have to clarify a bit. I was not really aware of it, but I got the news that there was a discussion we might have forced Trent back because of two setbacks.
"Nobody wants that and nobody is doing that, but we work in a high-performance area. We always try to catch the earliest moment [when someone is injured]. Unfortunately, when we catch that early moment, nobody speaks about that. The last decision is always with the player, but if you always listen to the player, they would play after two weeks and it's a real problem."
Alisson Becker
Alisson got hurt in his muscles during training at Kirkby before Liverpool's game with Brentford. Klopp thinks the 31-year-old goalie might be back after the March international break, but it looks like his injury is more serious than they first thought.
Injury: Hamstring
Return date: April
Klopp said: "There is no real timescale on it, but it is a proper muscle injury. Different players recover differently. That is it pretty much. It is not a short one. It is not that he will be in contention for next week or something like that.
"We have to wait a few more weeks, definitely, for him. He is working in the gym, not on the pitch, it is a rather serious one but not a season-ending injury."
Diogo Jota
Jota had to leave the field on a stretcher against Brentford and they found out he has a medial collateral ligament injury in his knee. With Mohamed Salah also having a small injury, Liverpool will really miss Jota this weekend.
Injury: Knee
Return date: April to May
Klopp said: "Then we have Diogo with a knee issue, is ruled out. With Diogo, it will obviously take rather months. It's with the injuries as well, so like you have important days.
"So, day five, day 10, they are always important days when you then judge the situation again because nobody reacts in the same way and it depends on the pain level they still have and stuff like this.
"I couldn't give you a timeframe even if I wanted to, so that's just how it is. When you don't have these players available, it makes no sense as well to say, 'OK, they will not be in before...'".
Curtis Jones
Jones also got hurt during the Brentford match at the G-Tech Community Stadium, with an injury to his ankle. The midfielder hasn't played since then, but he's expected to be back on the pitch this month.
Injury: Ankle
Return date: Manchester United (A) FA Cup Quarterfinal March 17
What Lijnders has said: "Curtis is probably the first one [to come back] around the international break. All the others will be after the international break."
Thiago Alcantara
Thiago has been having a tough time with injuries lately. With his contract at Anfield ending in the summer, he might have already played against Manchester City for the last time.
Injury: Unknown
Return date: Unknown.
What Klopp has said: "There's no timescale. I don't know, to be honest. It's a couple of things [that] he has to do now from a medical point of view and then I don't know if that will then mean that he can play again [this season].
"That's not a short-term thing, that's why I'm not really in the subject. It's not that he might be in training in two weeks or stuff like this, so that's why I'm not 100 per cent in it. I cannot say more about it, to be honest."
Joel Matip
Matip got hurt in his knee, the ACL, when Liverpool played Fulham in December. He's had an operation and won't play again until summer.
Injury: ACL
Return date: Summer
What Klopp said: "It's an ACL, ruptured, so that's what I unfortunately expected from the first second. Everything looked like that. Very unfortunate."
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