Liverpool have confirmed that Thiago Alcantara will miss the club’s clashes with Norwich and Brentford this week, as a result of a calf injury sustained at the weekend.
The Spain international was substituted during the second half of the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday with the issue, and the Reds are currently awaiting the results of a scan for the problem.
Thiago will miss tomorrow’s Carabao Cup tie against Norwich and the Premier League trip to Brentford at the weekend however, with assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders confirming the midfielder’s absence to the club’s official website.
“Thiago, how the gaffer said after the game, it was a calf injury. I can’t say now how long it will take but definitely not tomorrow and not at the weekend,” Lijnders said.
“Let’s get the scan results back and we have a proper diagnosis. A shame as well because he was taking the game by the hand, he was a proper playmaker in my opinion. A shame that we miss him.
“In one week we lose two really influential midfielders, that’s the bad thing.”
Lijnders also confirmed that Roberto Firmino is not ready to return against the Canaries tomorrow, though the Brazilian will rejoin training this week.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – who missed the win over Crystal Palace through illness – and Neco Williams will also not be involved.
“Let’s start with Trent. Our game basically started at 12 o’clock against Palace; he took responsibility to speak with the doctor,” Lijnders added.
“It was not easy because these guys – it says a lot about our group anyway – they want to play everything, [even] if they feel a bit shaky or ill. But he took the responsibility.
“With speaking about Trent, I have to speak about Millie immediately – it started with a James Milner lecture and it ended up he dominated the complete right flank. We wanted to solve the situation with Trent with experience but we got much more.
“So, really proud and really happy that we have these players who can fill in, in each moment in time, and do the things he did.
“That’s Trent, there are no symptoms – no COVID symptoms. We test regardless. He should be fine in a few days but Norwich comes too early.
“Then we have Bobby, who will do parts of team training but also not ready. But progressing well. And Neco is progressing well as well. [For him] tomorrow also comes too early.”
