Premier League Club Liverpool are set to sweat with Alisson Becker’s injury for the second time with just a few games into the season.
The Reds’ No. 1 goalkeeper adds to the growing list of injured players at Anfield after he hobbled off the pitch in his side’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday. He started the match but was forced off in the 75th minute with an apparent hamstring issue.
The injury blow has seen the Brazilian stopper compound a crippling injury crisis in the Reds’ squad. The Merseyside outfit are already grappling with a piling list of injury cases with the likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Harvey Elliot and Federico Chiesa all sidelined.
According to reports from the club’s medical department, Alisson is expected to undergo scans and tests to determine the full extent of his injury. However, clues from close sources revealed he may not return to action for the club until 2025.
Alisson Becker’s injury: possible impact on Liverpool
Alisson Becker’s injury will have a profound impact on Liverpool. He is the club’s first-choice goalkeeper and has retained his position under new manager Arne Slot, starting every game under the Dutchman.
The Reds will have to navigate through congested domestic and European fixtures after the October international break without the terrific stopper.
Becker is expected to miss at least 17 games before returning to fitness. Becker’s absence will be a big concern for Arne Slot with Liverpool lined up against Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham, Brighton, Aston Villa, and Newcastle in the Premier League. They also have crunch UEFA Champions League matches in Europe against Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Girona and RB Leipzig.
Alisson Becker injury: replacement options for Arne Slot
Allison Becker’s injury is also set to pose a challenge for Arne Slot on who to replace the Brazilian goalkeeper.
Third-choice goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros was the Brazilian’s replacement as he trudged off the field against Crystal Palace.
The Reds’ second-choice keeper Caoimhin Kelleher was sidelined in the Crystal Palace game due to illness.
Kelleher is expected to replace Becker and that may prove to be a big shoe for the Northern Ireland international to fill.
Becker conceded just two goals in eight appearances this season and played a crucial role in the team’s rise to the top of the table.
Nevertheless, Caoimihn Kelleher will be expected to take up the challenge and stand in for the Reds. He kept a clean sheet in Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Bournemouth in the Premier League on September 21, 2024 when Becker was nursing a thigh injury.
Alisson Becker’s injury history
Alisson Becker enjoyed an injury-free spell during his first season at Liverpool following his switch from Roma in 2018. He didn’t spend a single day on the sideline.
It was in his second season that he began grappling with injuries, suffering hip and calf issues. The double injury blow saw him miss 18 games after being sidelined for 147 days.
In his third season in the 2020-21 campaign, he injured his shoulder and was kept out of action for 20 days missing five games during that period.
Again, he picked up another issue – a hip injury – in the season and was sidelined for 13 days, missing three games.
Last season, he was sidelined for 12 days after suffering from muscular problems. A hamstring injury also followed keeping him out of action for 56 days with 15 games missed.
Notably, the latest blow is the second time he will be sidelined with just a few games into the season. He was out of action for 8 days missing two games with a thigh injury.
Overall, Allison Becker has suffered 12 different injuries since moving to Anfield and has missed 50 games while being sidelined for 278 days.
