HUGE BOOST : Latest Liverpool injury news and updates as Mohamed Salah and five players nears a return to action

Liv🔴Mohamed Salah

Liverpool’s top scorer was unable to play a part in the Carabao Cup final after experiencing discomfort following his return from a hamstring injury. But the Egyptian has returned to training after Klopp said he was “touch and go” ahead of the Southampton match. Salah was not risked, and therefore could be in contention to face Forest this weekend.

🔴Darwin Nunez

Like Salah, Nunez was not risked in the FA Cup in midweek, but appears to be in contention to return against Forest.

🔴Dominik Szoboszlai

The £60m summer signing has not played since Liverpool’s 4-1 over Chelsea on January 31 after the recurrence of a hamstring injury – Klopp has suggested his condition is similar to Salah and Nunez and that Szoboszlai is close to returning.

🔴Wataru Endo

After playing a key role in the Carabao Cup final, Endo was left leaving Wembley with his foot in a protective boot. The Japan international wasn’t risked against Southampton after being seen back at Liverpool’s training base – without the protective boot. He could play a part against Forest.

🔴Ryan Gravenberch

The Dutchman was stretchered off the pitch at Wembley after Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo landed on his ankle – but he has escaped a serious injury. Gravenberch is set to miss this weekend’s match, but he could return after that.

🔴Trent Alexander-Arnold

The vice-captain has been ruled out until after March’s international break due to a knee problem – which means he will miss the potential Premier League title decider against Manchester City on 10 March.

🔴Alisson Becker

While Caoimhin Kelleher has excelled between the posts, Liverpool will want their No 1 back in action as soon as possible. But Alisson also won’t be back until after the international break due to a hamstring injury- and the Brighton game on 31 March could be his next involvement.

🔴Curtis Jones

The 23-year-old suffered an ankle injury against Brentford and missed another Wembley final when he was ruled out of the win against Chelsea. Like Alexander-Arnold and Alisson, Jones won’t be back until after the international break – so he will miss the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester United.

🔴Diogo Jota

Jota suffered a knee injury against Brentford on 17 February and Klopp said afterwards that the forward will be out for “months” rather than “weeks”.

🔴Thiago Alcantara

Klopp said there is “no timescale” on Thiago’s return. After an injury-plagued year, the 32-year-old suffered a fresh injury when he came on as a 85th minute substitute against Arsenal in the 3-1 defeat at the Emirates.

🔴Stefan Bajcetic

After a breakthrough season last year, Bajcetic has not played since September. The 19-year-old is yet to return to team training.

dramatic late winner against Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah of Liverpool are among several players currently injured for the Reds.

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah of Liverpool are among several players currently injured for the Reds.

Liverpool left it late against Nottingham Forest as Jürgen Klopp’s side secured all three points at the City Ground on Saturday. Darwin Núñez netted the only goal of the game in the 99th minute of play as he made his return after missing the last three games through injury.

Forest was unlucky at times to not be ahead against Liverpool throughout the game, with the likes of Anthony Elanga and former Red Divock Origi coming close. Liverpool also saw several chances go wide, with Luis Díaz and Bobby Clark — who was given a chance to start due to injury problems at the club — putting their efforts just wide.

Núñez’s return and goal offer a huge boost to Liverpool, with the team now sitting four points ahead of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table. Pep Guardiola’s side will face their local rivals Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon, in what could be a huge game in the title race.

As all eyes now shift to what other teams around Liverpool are doing, we at Liverpool.com will take a look at the latest injury news surrounding Klopp’s side. We begin with the latest on Mohamed Salah and Alisson Becker after the triple boost this weekend of the returns of Núñez, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endō.

Mohamed Salah and Alisson Becker

Salah, 31, was absent from the match-day squad for the fourth game in a row against Forest after re-aggravating the hamstring injury he picked up at the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt. However, speaking in his pre-match press conference before the clash in the East Midlands, Klopp revealed the forward was ‘not too far off’ in terms of his recovery.

Elsewhere, Alisson’s injury appears more serious than it was initially thought after being tipped to return to action for the upcoming games against City and United in the Premier League. Klopp has since claimed there is no time scale on the Brazilian’s return but has outlined that it is not an easy fix.

“There is no real timescale on it, but it is a proper muscle injury,” said Klopp. “Different players recover differently. That is it pretty much. It is not a short one. It is not that he will be in contention for next week or something like that. We have to wait a few more weeks, definitely, for him. He is working in the gym, not on the pitch, it is a rather serious one but not a season-ending injury.” Possible return dates: Salah March 10 vs Sparta Prague but Alisson is unknown.

Ryan Gravenberch and Diogo Jota

Gravenberch suffered an ankle injury in the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea, with the Netherlands midfielder being stretchered off the pitch after going down. Discussing how long he may be out for, Klopp said: “He’s not running around, [he is] walking around on crutches. It’s not as bad as it could have been but he’s out for tomorrow [Southampton] and for the weekend [Forest].”

Jota was another player to leave the field during a game, after going down injured during the 4-1 win against Brentford in February. The knee injury will likely keep him out until the later stages of the 2023/24, which marks a tough blow to both the player and the team.

“It’s with the injuries as well, so like you have important days. So, day five, day 10, they are always important days when you then judge the situation again because nobody reacts in the same way and it depends on the pain level they still have and stuff like this,” said Klopp.

“I couldn’t give you a timeframe even if I wanted to, so that’s just how it is. When you don’t have these players available, it makes no sense as well to say, ‘OK, they will not be in before…'” Possible return dates: Unknown for both, but Jota in particular won’t be quick.

Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones

Alexander-Arnold felt discomfort in his knee during the win against Burnley and was substituted by Klopp. Since then, he has been absent from all matchday squads and was pictured in a brace during the Carabao Cup win at Wembley Stadium.

The Liverpool vice-captain will likely make his return after the international break in the middle of March. The Reds face Brighton and Hove Albion at Anfield in the first fixture after this period.

Jones was also pictured moving quite gingerly at Wembley but has been tipped to be one of the first players back in the first-team frame following an ankle setback. “Curtis is probably the first one [to come back] around the international break. All the others will be after the international break,” said assistant manager Pep Lijnders. Possible return dates: March 31.

Joël Matip and Ben Doak

Both players have suffered severe injuries with Matip’s ACL tear likely to keep him out until the end of the season, which is when his contract at Liverpool is set to expire. It is also unclear whether or not Doak will be involved with the first team again this season, after undergoing surgery to solve his issue. “That’s not a good one. He tore his lateral meniscus, which needs surgery,” Lijnders said.

“That one will take [a] longer time. He is young, he is a fit guy, he is a positive guy so for sure he will come back stronger, and we need him to come back with the same fire he has with the ball, how he was. We will wait for him.” Possible return dates: Probably close to the end of the season.

Stefan Bajčetić and Thiago Alcântara

Bajčetić has endured a frustrating time throughout the campaign with both hip and calf issues plaguing his time in the first team. However, the Spaniard is nearing a return to first-team action after Klopp issued an update on his fitness.

“He’s obviously gaining fitness now… he didn’t get a green light yet for us for the team training. He’s pain-free, completely pain-free, which is obviously the most important thing. All checks we made, like scans again, bone looks good, that’s all fine and he’s just doing the stuff he’s doing.”

The same can’t be said for his more experienced midfield counterpart Thiago, who suffered a fresh setback in his first appearance of the season against Arsenal. “There’s no timescale. I don’t know, to be honest,” Klopp said. “It’s a couple of things [that] he has to do now from a medical point of view and then I don’t know if that will then mean that he can play again [this season].

“That’s not a short-term thing, that’s why I’m not really in the subject. It’s not that he might be in training in two weeks or stuff like that, so that’s why I’m not 100 per cent in it. I cannot say more about it, to be honest.” Possible return dates: Unknown.