Liverpool have mixed injury news for their FA Cup trip to Man City, welcoming back Alexander Isak after more than 100 days but seeing Alisson ruled out for the foreseeable future.
The return from the international break sees the Reds return to the Etihad Stadium for a place in the semi-final of the FA Cup, one of their two remaining hopes of silverware.
And there has been good and bad news when it comes to injuries ahead of the cup tie:
Liverpool Injury & Absentee List
| Player | Injury Type | Status | Expected Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mo Salah | Muscle | Available | Man City (A) |
| Jeremie Frimpong | Muscle | Available | Man City (A) |
| Alexander Isak | Fibula Fracture | Available | Man City (A) |
| Alisson | Hamstring | Unavailable | Late April |
| Wataru Endo | Ankle | Unavailable | June |
| Conor Bradley | Knee (Surgery) | Unavailable | Pre-season |
| Giovanni Leoni | ACL (Surgery) | Unavailable | Pre-season |
| Stefan Bajcetic | Hamstring | Unavailable | Unknown |
| Jayden Danns | Hamstring | Unavailable | Unknown |
The big news is Isak is ready to return to the matchday squad for the first time since mid-December, with the striker successfully completing full training this week.
Slot insisted on the eve of the match Isak is only capable of a “few minutes,” if any, against City, as it is “too fast” for him to go straight back into the starting lineup.
It is a boost to Liverpool’s options, nevertheless, with Mohamed Salah also cleared to play after injury kept him sidelined for the defeat at Brighton.
The good news continued with Jeremie Frimpong deemed “to be OK” after his scare on international duty, though Slot did hint at the need to manage his minutes.
Alisson, however, has succumbed to another hamstring injury that will keep him out of the clash at Man City and PSG.
Slot told reporters a return was expected “towards the end of the season,” with the goalkeeper later adding on social media that “the plan is to be in full playing condition by the end of April.”
Liverpool’s return plan for Alexander Isak
The No. 9 can travel to Manchester, but the possibility of extra time will give Slot plenty to think about when it comes to any potential minutes.
“It’s a difficult one, because we don’t play a ‘normal’ game,” the head coach explained.
“It could go to extra time, so that makes it even more complicated if we bring him in [thinking] he can only play 10 minutes – if we already think this.
“If we bring him in for 10 minutes before the end and then you go to extra time…of course you can take him off again if we have enough players available, but [that would not be ideal].
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“So maybe a few minutes, but let’s wait and see how it is with him today, how he feels about it himself.
“It’s clear that [with] two training sessions after 101 days out it would not make any sense to start him tomorrow.”
Predicted LFC XI: Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike
Predicted Man City XI: Trafford; Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, Ait-Nouri; Rodri, Silva; Semenyo, Cherki, Marmoush; Haaland
Liverpool’s available squad vs. Man City
Goalkeepers: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Misciur
Defenders: Van Dijk, Konate, Gomez, Robertson, Kerkez, Frimpong, Ramsay
Midfielders: Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Wirtz, Jones, Nyoni
Forwards: Salah, Isak, Gakpo, Ekitike, Ngumoha, Morrison