As the international break draws to a close, Liverpool continues to struggle with a variety of injuries and fitness difficulties.
The Reds’ last game was a Champions League loss to Real Madrid, and they haven’t played in nearly two weeks. Coming up is a Saturday away game against Manchester City in the Premier League.
To be able to participate in the journey to the Etihad Stadium, Jurgen Klopp will be counting on some of his injured players to achieve a full recovery. They include players like Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, and Thiago Alcantara, while Cody Gakpo’s status is still up in the air due to his illness.
These are the most recent updates on the injured Liverpool players, along with potential return dates.
Darwin Nunez
The Liverpool team’s loss to Real Madrid earlier this month resulted in Darwin Nunez’s ankle being cut.
Because of this, the striker was left off Uruguay’s roster for their international games against Japan and South Korea.
Nunez will be evaluated by the Liverpool medical division after he reports back for training on Merseyside later this week.
Nunez will not yet fully recovered, but Liverpool will be hoping that he will be available for the trip to the Etihad. It is too early to say whether Nunez will be ready to play against Man City.
Early April is when they should arrive back.
Cody Gakpo
Due to illness, Cody Gakpo was initially cut from the Netherlands squad for their Euro 2024 qualifying matches.
He didn’t play in the 4-0 loss to France, but it was later made known that he was back in the lineup for the game against Gibraltar.
Koeman said that he wasn’t certain he would be able to play in the match on Monday night.
Gakpo will travel to Merseyside this week, and the Liverpool medical staff will determine if he is fit to play against Manchester City on Saturday based on that evaluation.
Man City (A) – 1 April is the anticipated comeback date.
Thiago Alcantara
Due to a hip flexor injury, Thiago Alcantara has been out since the beginning of February.
Before the international break, the Spaniard still hadn’t returned to first-team Liverpool training, and it’s still unclear when he will be able to.
It seems unlikely that he will be available for the trip to Man City, but Liverpool will be hoping to see him back in action later in April when they play Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham.
Return is anticipated in early to mid-April.
Luis Diaz
At the beginning of October, Luis Diaz has been out with a knee injury; he has yet to train with the first squad.
The Colombian international had been scheduled to make a comeback in December, but a setback forced surgery and prolonged his absence.
A start at the Etihad would be improbable considering Diaz’s extended absence from the field, but Liverpool hopes to get the attacker back in training in the days before the trip to Man City. Diaz is now getting close to returning to the field.
Expected return date: Man City (A) – April 1