Liverpool's Alisson Ruled Out For Six Weeks With Hamstring Injury
Liverpool will be without its starting goalkeeper until after the November international break after Alisson Becker sustained a serious hamstring injury.
Liverpool was just eleven minutes away from securing all three points against Crystal Palace at the weekend when Alisson was forced to come off the pitch. After the match, Arne Slot revealed the Brazilian suffered a hamstring injury and would likely be in for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
The Reds ran further tests and confirmed Alisson will miss at least six weeks as he recovers from the injury. The keeper is looking at a return date of mid-November.
The news comes at a particularly tough time for Liverpool; the club is set to play seven matches in 20 days once the October international break concludes. The Reds must face Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa in the Premier League, and RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League. Liverpool will also clash with Brighton in the EFL Cup.
Playing four of the top six clubs in the Premier League without Alisson will be a major challenge for Slot's side. Caoimhin Kelleher will step into Alisson role after already making two appearances this season. The 25-year-old kept a clean sheet against Bournemouth on Sept. 21 and only conceded one goal in Liverpool's rout over West Ham in the EFL Cup.
Last season, Kelleher made 26 appearances across all competitions as Alisson dealt with muscular problems and a hamstring injury.
Liverpool currently sits atop the Premier League and Champions League standings. Under Slot, the Reds have only dropped points in one match across all competitions when they lost to Nottingham Forrest on Sept. 14. Alisson's strong performances largely contributed to Liverpool's early successes; after all, the Brazilian only conceded three goals in his eight appearances so far this season.
Now, the pressure is on Kelleher to step up and deliver for Liverpool over the next six weeks.