Premier League football returns with a bang on Saturday lunchtime, as Liverpool welcome Everton to Anfield for the first Merseyside derby of the season.
Jurgen Klopp's side entered the October hiatus on the back of a 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion, who snatched a point through Lewis Dunk in that four-goal extravaganza.
Having also lost to Tottenham Hotspur in farcical circumstances at the end of September, the Reds slipped to fourth in the table heading into the international break, which was not kind to Klopp in terms of injuries.
Here, Sports Mole rounds up Liverpool's latest injury and suspension news ahead of the visit of Everton, who are hovering dangerously close to the drop zone in 16th place.
© Reuters
Status: Out
Type of injury: Shoulder
Possible return date: Unknown
Andy Robertson came off worse in a collision with Unai Simon during Scotland's Euro 2024 qualifying loss to Spain last Thursday, trudging off the pitch with his arm in a sling. The 29-year-old is believed to have dislocated his shoulder in the incident, and he will spend a while on the sidelines as he prepares to undergo surgery.
© Reuters
Status: Out
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: October 29 (vs. Nottingham Forest)
Robertson was not the only injury concern for Scotland during the international break, as Ben Doak withdrew from Under-21s duty with a muscle issue and will also miss Saturday's clash.
.JPG?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Liverpool's Cody Gakpo receives medical attention after sustaining an injury on September 30, 2023")
© Reuters
Status: Major doubt
Type of injury: Knee
Possible return date: October 21 (vs. Everton)
Cody Gakpo could not turn out for the Netherlands in October due to the knee injury he sustained against Spurs, but Klopp revealed on Friday that the attacker had trained and has a chance of making the squad this weekend.
© Reuters
Status: Out
Type of injury: Knee
Possible return date: October 29 (vs. Nottingham Forest)
Second-choice goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher needed 12 stitches in his knee following a training-ground injury, and the Republic of Ireland international will not be able to take his customary place on the bench for the derby.
© Reuters
Status: Out
Type of injury: Hip
Possible return date: November 1 (vs. Bournemouth)
The luckless Thiago Alcantara has now suffered a pair of setbacks in his recovery from a troublesome hip injury, and it will be another couple of weeks at least before the Spaniard can return to action.
© Reuters
Status: Out
Type of injury: Calf
Possible return date: Unknown
Stefan Bajcetic had only just made a full recovery from an adductor problem before tweaking his calf, and the Spanish youngster remains sidelined for the time being.
LIVERPOOL'S SUSPENSION LIST
© Reuters
Return date: October 26 (vs. Toulouse)
Diogo Jota will return from a one-game ban this weekend, but Curtis Jones must serve the second of his three-match suspension for his straight red card in Liverpool's loss to Tottenham last month.
Ben Knapton
