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Which Liverpool games Alisson will miss with injury – as Klopp admits “only positive”

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Jurgen Klopp has confirmed Alisson is set for a spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, though the run of fixtures he is due to miss is relatively kind.

Wednesday brought the news that, though his issue is “lesser” than that sustained by Diogo Jota, Alisson will be absent after a blow against Man City.

Klopp revealed the extent of the issue for his No. 1 during a press conference to preview Liverpool vs. LASK.

“With Ali it’s a bit lesser, so we have to see, not day by day,” he said on Wednesday.

“Cannot play tomorrow, not on Sunday. Probably not the week after, then it should be kind of OK.”

The manager has effectively ruled Alisson out of two weeks of action, which means at least four fixtures for Liverpool.

Realistically though, the Brazilian’s targeted return date would be the Premier League clash with Man United on December 17, which would mean he sits out the following games:

Whether Alisson is fit or not for the trip to Union SG in the Europa League, the likelihood is that he will not be risked, particularly if Liverpool are already qualified for the last 16.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 25, 2023: Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker at the final whistle during the FA Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC at the City of Manchester Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

There is a chance, of course, that the tie could be used to rebuild his fitness ahead of the visit of Man United, but that is less of a concern for goalkeepers.

Klopp has already confirmed the obvious in that Caoimhin Kelleher will step in as first-choice stopper during Alisson‘s layoff.

“That’s why we knew we wanted to have Caoimh here, for these moments,” he told reporters.

“Nobody, Caoimh included, wanted Ali to get injured, but if these kinds of things happen then you need the strongest possible option. That’s Caoimh for us.

“That’s the only positive about it, that we can put in Caoimh. That’s fine. He gets the opportunity, which he deserves anyway.

“He would have played tomorrow night anyway, that’s clear, but now he will have a few more games, and hopefully he can show his full potential.”

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, September 27, 2023: Liverpool's goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher during the Football League Cup 3rd Round match between Liverpool FC and Leicester City FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Up to now, Kelleher’s longest run of consecutive starts is three, that being against Ajax, Wolves and Midtjylland over 10 days in December 2020.

His most recent back-to-back starts were in January 2022, when he stood in for Alisson in a Premier League clash with Chelsea due to a positive COVID-19 test and then a week later against Shrewsbury in the FA Cup.

Having already played five times this season, Kelleher is set to break his record for most appearances in a single campaign, which currently stands at eight.