Alisson & Thiago Doubtful for Liverpool's Clash With Arsenal
The visit of Arsenal was always going to be tough for Liverpool, but things may have just got a little bit more difficult as reports have emerged that keeper Alisson and new signing Thiago are facing a race against time to be fit.
Both players stole the headlines in last week's confident swatting of Chelsea, as Thiago emerged from the bench and dictated the tempo with his passing. Alisson, meanwhile, was back at his best, saving a late penalty from Jorginho to wrap up the victory.
WIth Jordan Henderson, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip among those likely to miss out, Klopp already had a minor selection crisis on his hands, and The Times now report that Alisson and Thiago have added to his worries.
Both players are said to be nursing minor fitness issues, and have sat out training over the past few days. Klopp is waiting to see if they are able to take part in Sunday's session, and dependent on the advice from his medical staff, he will make a decision at the last minute on whether they are fit to be involved.
Neither player featured in the 7-2 win over Lincoln during the week, but that was to be expected given how low the EFL Cup ranks in Klopp's list of priorities. Virgil van Dijk was the only regular starter named in the XI, and even he was only given 45 minutes.
Should he miss out, Alisson will be replaced by Adrian, who has proven a steady back-up option since his arrival from West Ham. Given that he is still adjusting to life at Anfield, Thiago may not have started anyway, but with Fabinho likely to be called upon at centre-back once more, his absence would leave Liverpool short of midfield options.
Henderson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are both unavailable, while it's unclear if James Milner is fit after missing Thursday's fixture with a minor injury. Gini Wijnaldum, Naby Keita and Curtis Jones are all available, as is squad option Marko Grujic.
Xherdan Shaqiri impressed in midfield against Lincoln, so he may come into consideration as a last resort.