Liverpool have endured a disastrous month-and-a-half that started with them getting knocked out of the FA Cup by rivals Manchester United, and ended with their title ambitions essentially over.
A dismal run of just one win in five Premier League games has left the Reds five points behind leaders Arsenal with three games to go.
The fashion in which they surrendered their advantage must particularly sting for Liverpool supporters. They dropped points to their two biggest rivals, United and Everton, and failed to convert a litany of chances against Crystal Palace and West Ham.
A 3-1 aggregate loss to Atalanta in the Europa League quarter-finals ensured that rather than a potential quadruple, iconic manager Jurgen Klopp’s final season on Merseyside will likely end with only a Carabao Cup.
Klopp has a mostly healthy squad ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Tottenham on Sunday, and may also have Diogo Jota and Conor Bradley at his disposal.
Here is all the latest Liverpool injury news and potential return dates.
Diogo Jota
Jota picked up a knock against Fulham, and was ruled out for two weeks. The Portuguese winger scored on his first start in two months, before coming off in the 74th minute. Jota had previously missed two months with a knee injury he suffered in February.
Klopp confirmed at the weekend that he wasn’t fit to play against West Ham, but that he’s recovering well.
“Both [Jota and Bradley] not ready,” Klopp said. “Progressing well, [but] not ready and nobody told me yet they will start training in the next few days. I think it will take time, a little bit.”
Potential return date: Sunday, May 5 vs Tottenham
Conor Bradley
Bradley has been absent since injuring his ankle against Crystal Palace on April 14. He was initially expected to be out for three weeks, although Klopp said he’ll start training in the next few days.
Potential return date: Sunday, May 5 vs Tottenham
Stefan Bajcetic
Bajcetic has missed nearly the entire season with a calf injury after appearing in 19 games for the senior team last season. Due to his age, Liverpool have been carefully easing him back into training, and he’s played three games for the Under-21s in the past few weeks before making the bench against West Ham.
With Liverpool out of the cups and their title chances severely diminished, the club may choose to not risk the youngster’s long-term fitness by playing him in the last few games of the season.
Potential return date: May 2024
Joel Matip
Matip has likely played his last game in Liverpool colours after rupturing his ACL in December. Klopp confirmed that he won’t play again this season and his contract is up in the summer.
Potential return date: Summer 2024
Thiago Alcantara
Thiago has only played five minutes of football for Liverpool this season. He missed the first half of the season with a hip injury, before making his return as a substitute against Arsenal on February 4. He suffered a muscle injury in his brief cameo, which has ruled him out since.
When asked in February, Klopp was unsure when he’d be fit.
“There’s no timescale,” Klopp said. “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.”
Thiago’s contract also expires in the summer, and he might not play another game for Liverpool after another injury-hit season.
Potential return date: Summer 2024
