Jurgen Klopp has refuted suggestions that Trent Alexander-Arnold was rushed back into action for Liverpool, in comments relayed on X (formerly Twitter) by Theo Squires.
The No.66 returned to action in the 3-1 win against Burnley, providing an assist before being hooked at half-time with an injury concern.
More on Trent setback: There was a discussion we might have forced Trent back, because of setback. As long as I'm here, we never forced anyone. We always try to catch it at earliest moment. When they play, they were fit.#LFC 🔗https://t.co/lUa9FFSjGs
— Theo Squires (@TheoSquiresECHO) February 16, 2024
It has now come to light that the England international will not be in contention for the rest of the month and potentially a further week or two beyond that.
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Just rotten luck?
An apology is owed to the medical team if this is indeed the case.
However, even Jurgen has to admit that the optics of the situation – even if it’s all down to rotten injury luck – aren’t exactly fantastic.
We’re now without two key players – one of whom in Dominik Szoboszlai is central to our pressing game – in a tricky run of fixtures that we’d hope to see yield six points, a first trophy of the season and progression in the FA Cup.
It’s still more possible than not that we achieve such aims, though the absences of our Hungarian international and Trent are sure to hurt our hopes.