Return Dates – Key Liverpool Injury Updates: Alisson, Mac Allister and Chiesa | OneFootball

Liverpool Injury Update: Alisson, Mac Allister and Chiesa’s Retrurn Prospects

Liverpool’s latest win against Crystal Palace may have kept them on top, but it certainly wasn’t without its costs. The Reds are facing a bit of an injury crisis, with their star goalkeeper Alisson and Argentine wizard Alexis Mac Allister both heading for the sidelines. So, as we head into the international break with a schedule packed with Chelsea, RB Leipzig, and Arsenal, let’s dive into the state of Liverpool’s walking wounded.

Alisson’s Hamstring Woes: When Goalkeepers Go Missing

Alisson Becker, Liverpool’s wall at the back, just returned from hamstring tightness only to strain it again. Brilliant. Against Palace, after the usual heroic saves, he hobbles off in the 79th minute like he’s just run a marathon on a treadmill made of glass shards. Forced to call on Vitezslav Jaros, third-string and eager, Liverpool were without even their backup, the ever-reliable Caoimhin Kelleher, who was laid low by illness. It all sounds like a rather poorly written episode of a football soap opera, doesn’t it?

Manager Arne Slot, taking things in stride, had this to say: “The latest is that we don’t know, but if a player walks off like he did, that normally means he’s not in the Brazil squad.” Translation? If Alisson’s hobbling about like a wounded deer, we’re unlikely to see him back before Liverpool face Chelsea on October 20. Slot is all about hope, though: “We have to wait and see, but it is going to take a few weeks, I assume, for him to be back.”

In other words, don’t hold your breath. Alisson’s injury has now likely ruled him out for quite some time. While Liverpool hope to have him back in goal sooner rather than later, one wouldn’t be surprised if he’s missing until mid-November.

Potential Return Date: November, if Liverpool’s prayers are answered

Photo: IMAGO

Mac Allister and the Groin Fiasco

While Alisson was being helped off the pitch, no one seemed to notice that Mac Allister, the Argentine maestro, was missing. That’s because he limped off at half-time due to a groin issue. Now, there are all sorts of issues footballers face—sprains, knocks, whatever—but groin issues always feel a bit more sinister, don’t they?

Slot, ever the optimist, mentioned, “He could have continued playing, like you saw, but he felt it a bit too much and said it wasn’t good to keep on playing because you never know if you will make it worse.” Ah, so he could have played, but didn’t. Sensible? Yes. Disappointing? Absolutely. As if Liverpool don’t have enough going on with their fixture list.

The Argentinian World Cup winner was set to join his national team and has travelled, but his participation remains a doubt. Should we hope that he’ll be back in time for the Chelsea game? Perhaps. But with groin injuries, the best thing we can do is cross our fingers and hope he’s not out until Christmas.

Potential Return Date: Early October, fingers crossed

Photo: IMAGO

Chiesa’s Ongoing Fitness Saga

Federico Chiesa arrived with much fanfare as Liverpool’s lone summer signing. But so far, he’s made just a single appearance, and even that was from the bench. The Italian forward picked up yet another injury in training, keeping him out of the Champions League match against Bologna and the recent clash with Palace. It’s like one of those expensive sports cars—fast and flashy, but as soon as you start the engine, it needs servicing.

Slot, keeping things vague as usual, confirmed Chiesa missed training entirely, saying he “didn’t return to training before the Palace game,” which is manager-speak for “don’t expect to see him any time soon.” Of course, with the international break, there’s hope that this latest mystery setback will be sorted, and he’ll be fit for the Chelsea game. But given his track record, I wouldn’t bet on it.

Potential Return Date: October 21, fingers and toes crossed for Chelsea

Photo: IMAGO

Harvey Elliott’s Quiet Comeback

And then there’s Harvey Elliott, who has been nursing a fractured foot. He was supposed to have a big role this season, given how well he performed in pre-season. But of course, injuries don’t care about pre-season. Slot commented on his absence, saying, “Harvey is, of course, a big disappointment for him but also for us.”

The foot injury has kept him out for some time now, and although he wasn’t much of a fixture in the opening matches, he was set to feature prominently. There’s cautious optimism that Elliott will be ready to go shortly after the break. But in true Liverpool fashion this season, who knows? Maybe they’ll wrap him in bubble wrap just to be safe.

Potential Return Date: Late October

Photo: IMAGO

Kelleher to Resume Backup Duties

With Alisson likely out for a while, Liverpool’s next choice in goal, Caoimhin Kelleher, will need to shake off his illness and step up. The Republic of Ireland international was supposed to be on the bench for the Palace game, but illness saw Jaros called in instead. Now, Liverpool will be hoping Kelleher is ready to play against Chelsea, as he’s shown time and again that he’s more than capable of filling in when needed.

Potential Return Date: October 21, as long as he’s fighting fit

What’s Next for Liverpool?

Liverpool’s next few weeks look like a bit of a minefield. The win against Crystal Palace was a reminder that they’ve still got that fighting spirit, but the injuries are adding up. With Chelsea, RB Leipzig, and Arsenal all on the fixture list after the break, Liverpool are up against it. Can the squad’s depth see them through? Well, we’ll see. But they’ll have to dig deep and rely on players like Kelleher and Szoboszlai to make up for the growing injury list.

Alisson, Mac Allister, and Chiesa are all essential players, so their absence will be felt. However, if Liverpool want to keep that top spot, they’ll need to figure out a way to get results without them. Here’s hoping the Reds can patch things together and keep their run going. But as any Liverpool fan will tell you, it’s going to be a bit of a nail-biter.