Liverpool have seen 21 first-team players called up for international duty in October, with particular concerns over the travel time for Fabinho and Roberto Firmino.
The Reds ended their run of games before the campaign’s second interval with a miserable 7-2 loss at Aston Villa, setting the worst possible mood ahead of the Merseyside derby.
Jurgen Klopp said after the game that he “would love to have a training session tomorrow and on Tuesday we can speak about the things and work on it, but the boys go now to their national teams.”
It is frustrating that, in such a busy domestic calendar, FIFA and UEFA have pushed on with the demand for World Cup qualifiers and UEFA Nations League ties amid a global pandemic, while FAs have also organised pointless additional friendlies.
The risk of injury is now added to by the very real risk of COVID-19, with Thiago and Sadio Mane already self-isolating due to the virus, and as such will miss duty with Spain and Senegal respectively.
Alisson has also pulled out of the Brazil squad due to a shoulder injury, but Klopp has seen 21 other players called up from his senior squad.
Both Fabinho and Roberto Firmino are in Tite’s squad, and will travel to Brazil for a World Cup qualifier against Bolivia, before a trip to take on Peru.
They are not due back on Merseyside until late on Thursday, and will then undergo a COVID-19 test on their return which means Klopp will be unsure whether they can play against Everton until hours before kickoff next Saturday.
Joe Gomez, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson are all in the England squad to play Wales, Belgium and Denmark, with Neco Williams, Harry Wilson and Ben Woodburn with Wales and Divock Origi part of the Belgium squad.
Frank de Boer has named both Virgil van Dijk and Gini Wijnaldum in his first Netherlands selection, while Andy Robertson will captain Scotland and Caoimhin Kelleher will join the Republic of Ireland senior squad.
Diogo Jota is with Portugal, Xherdan Shaqiri with Switzerland and Marko Grujic with Serbia for their UEFA Nations League clashes, with all three sides set for three fixtures.
Shaqiri, however, will not take part for Switzerland, having tested positive for COVID-19.
Despite there being no World Cup or Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers for Japan or Guinea, Takumi Minamino and Naby Keita have been called up for friendlies with their respective national teams.
Fortunately, Japan will take on Cameroon and Ivory Coast in the Netherlands, while Guinea’s friendly clashes with Cape Verde and Gambia will be held in Portugal.
Curtis Jones and Rhys Williams are in the England under-21s squad, with Harvey Elliott with the England under-19s and Liverpool youth duo Jarell Quansah and James Balagizi with the England under-18s.
Fleetwood Town loanee Morgan Boyes will represent Wales at both under-21 and under-19 level, while Iwan Roberts, who is yet to debut for the Liverpool under-18s, will be part of the Wales under-17s squad.
Billy Koumetio joins the France under-19s for a pair of friendlies against Germany, while AGF Aarhus loanee Kamil Grabara links up with the Poland under-21s.
Liverpool players called up in October
First-team players called up: Kelleher, Van Dijk, Gomez, R.Williams, Koumetio, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, N.Williams, Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Keita, Jones, Grujic, Wilson, Jota, Minamino, Origi, Firmino, Elliott, Shaqiri
Notable youth: Woodburn, Boyes, Grabara, Quansah, Balagizi
Left out: Adrian, Matip (retired, injured), Phillips, Van den Berg, Tsimikas (injured), Milner (retired), Thiago (COVID-19), Oxlade-Chamberlain (injured), Mane (COVID-19), Salah
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