Liverpool is once again without Federico Chiesa and Diogo Jota against Brighton & Hove Albion as the Reds deal with several long-term injuries ahead of the November international break.
Arne Slot gave a fitness update on Nov. 1 and confirmed both Chiesa and Jota are still unavailable for Liverpool.
“Chiesa is not back before the international break, but there is only a week to go," Slot told reporters. "We are hoping he can do things again during the international break and that he can join us afterwards.”
Since transferring from Juventus in August, Chiesa only made three appearances for Liverpool across all competitions, logging just 78 minutes. A muscular problem has kept the forward off the pitch since early October.
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Slot also provided a timeline for Jota and Alisson's returns from injury.
“I think I said it already a few times that it is always difficult to tell you exactly when they are ready because especially the last phase of the recovery can always be a few days extra or less,” Slot said. “The fact is that they are not there before the international break and let’s see if they can join us after."
Alisson suffered a hamstring injury on Oct. 5 and Jota sustained a rib injury on Oct. 20. Both players will not feature in Liverpool's last Premier League matches against Brighton and Aston Villa ahead of the November international break. They will also miss the Reds' Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen.
Without Jota in the squad, Slot is relying on Darwin Núñez to lead the line. Caoimhin Kelleher, meanwhile, is the starting man between the posts.
Liverpool comes into its match against Brighton just one point behind Manchester City in the Premier League standings. If Slot's men collect three points against Brighton, they will remain four points clear of Arsenal after securing a 2–2 draw with the Gunners last weekend.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Federico Chiesa and Diogo Jota Aren't Playing For Liverpool vs. Brighton.
