Liverpool will be without four players for their Premier League clash against Aston Villa this evening (8pm kick-off).
The Reds host Villa at Anfield having won 14 of their first 16 matches in all competitions after only losing once to Nottingham Forest and drawing away at Arsenal. Meanwhile, Unai Emery’s side come into the match on the back of three consecutive defeats after losing to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup, 4-1 at Tottenham last weekend then 1-0 at Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Ross Barkley has been ruled out until after the November internationals, while Matty Cash missed Wednesday’s defeat due to injury. Liverpool have a few injury issues of their own despite their exceptional recent form.
Goalkeeper Alisson is ruled out through a thigh injury which he picked up in their 1-0 win at Palace last month. In the Brazilian’s absence, Caoimhin Kelleher has kept two clean sheets in six matches in all competitions.
Harvey Elliot suffered a foot injury earlier this season and is also currently sidelined, while Federico Chiesa will also miss tonight’s match through injury.
Digo Jota has missed his team’s last five games and in his pre-match press conference, Slot reported that the Portuguese is on course to be available again in a matter of weeks.
Slot said on Friday morning: “We expect him back after the international break… the first weeks after the international break we expect him back.”
On the nature of Jota’s injury, Slot added: “I always say in Holland there is privacy about this and I don’t know how it is over here. Like I just said, he will be back one or two weeks after the international break.”
