Jurgen Klopp and his coaching staff are preparing their players to face Leeds this weekend without knowing whether or not Alisson Becker and Fabinho will be included.
Yet, former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell has hailed the ‘title winners’ that will come in to replace them and says it’s ‘great news’ that Liverpool have a strong squad that can cope with setbacks.
He told Football Insider: “It is a worry, but Liverpool have got a strong squad, which is great news for them. The players coming in are title winners.
“Whether it’s injury or Covid affecting the players, you have to be able to move and shake your squad. If it wasn’t on international duty, it might have been during a game with Liverpool – so hindsight is a great thing.
“If you go out and purchase players as backup, those players will want to play. It’s a hard thing to juggle. I think Liverpool will be alright.”
If Liverpool and their Premier League counterparts are unable to overturn FIFA’s ban, Caoimhín Kelleher will replace between the sticks while Klopp will have to decide who to replace Fabinho with in the middle of the park.
The obvious choice is Thiago Alcantara but Naby Keita will be keen to start again even after his crazy week in Guinea as he and his national teammates fled their country as soldiers staged a presidential coup.
Supporters have been in a panicked state this week over the lack of depth in the squad but Liverpool have a decent amount of backup in the middle of the park and Kelleher is a more than able no.2.
Alisson will only be missing for one game so it’s not as though the 22-year-old will need to be brought into the side for the next few weeks as his Brazilian teammate will be back on the team sheet on Wednesday when AC Milan visit Anfield in the Champions League.
