Liverpool's injury crisis has worsened after Joel Matip was added to the casualty list ahead of Monday's Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace. The 31-year-old centre-back sat out training on Friday as a precaution over a groin problem, becoming the eighth first-team player sidelined.
The Reds are already without Ibrahima Konate, Thiago Alcantara, Diogo Jota, Curtis Jones, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Calvin Ramsey and goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher for the visit of the Eagles. Matip had partnered Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the defence in last weekend's season opener at Fulham, but now faces a spell on the sidelines.
With Konate expected to be out for another month due to a knee injury, Joe Gomez is likely to deputise if fully fit. Gomez missed the majority of last season after undergoing surgery on a patella tendon injury in November, and Liverpool are carefully monitoring his progress. Nat Phillips and Sepp van den Berg are alternative options, with the club reportedly reconsidering whether to send Van den Berg out on loan for a second spell this summer.
There was some positive team news as Jurgen Klopp confirmed Naby Keita has recovered from illness and is in contention, while Harvey Elliott could start in place of the stricken Thiago. The Spanish midfielder faces between four and six weeks out with a hamstring injury sustained against Fulham, but Kostas Tsimikas has also returned to fitness.
Speaking on Friday, Klopp said: “I am happy with the strength, size and quality of my squad. We have injuries, that's how it is. Now it is the question how long the players will be out and there are different solutions for it. One of them - and there are plenty - is the transfer market but the transfer market only makes sense if you can bring in the right player, the right player not a player. It is easy to bring a player in but that doesn't help even for a week for some players.”
