Arsenal and Chelsea have received a boost after it was confirmed Liverpool would be without goalkeeper Alisson Becker for their clashes against them later this month.
Alisson injured his hamstring during Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace last Saturday and was forced to come off in the second-half.
The Brazilian has since undergone a scan and is now facing around six weeks on the sidelines.
That would see Alisson miss Liverpool’s game with Chelsea at Anfield on October 20 and their trip to Arsenal the following week.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot had expressed his concerns over Alisson after the Reds’ victory at Palace and feared then he would be set for a spell out.
“The latest is that we don’t know [how bad the injury is] but what we do know is that if a player walks off like he did, that normally means that he is not in the Brazil squad and I don’t expect him to be in the team in the first game we play after [the international break],” Slot said last Saturday.
“We have to wait and see, but it is going to take a few weeks I assume for him to be back. I think it is [his hamstring].”
Vitezslav Jaros replaced Alisson after he came off injured at Palace, but Caoimhin Kelleher will be expected to come in now. Kelleher missed the trip to Selhurst Park due to illness.
“Alisson is our clear No.1, he is the best goalkeeper in the world,” said Slot. “So, it’s always a blow when he gets injured, for himself but also for us as a team.
“But the positive thing for the team is – and it’s not only in the goalkeeper position but almost in every position – that we have a second option that is also really good.
“And Caoimh [Caoimhin Kelleher] has already shown that so it is quite clear then that he is the No.2.
“Otherwise the last time Alisson was injured I would have played Vit [Jaros], but I played Caoimh. So Caoimh is the No.2 and did really well.
“It’s very pleasing to see that even our third goalkeeper – because Caoimh was sick yesterday and today of course – can have an impact on our results.”
