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UP THE REDS!

32 Liverpool players on international duty – with 4 key Reds to sit out

Only three games have taken place but it’s that time of the year already, the first international break of the season and Liverpool have 32 players involved.

And there is doubt over the involvement of four more due to the UK government’s COVID restrictions, meaning the Brazilian trio and Mohamed Salah are set to miss out.

The Reds blocked Alisson, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino from playing a part in a triple-header of World Cup qualifiers due to the need to travel to a red-list country that would enforce a 10-day quarantine.

They are, therefore, to remain on Merseyside while Salah could feature in one of Egypt’s 2022 qualifiers in Gabon, with no threat of quarantine on his return as opposed to his native country.

But there are no doubts over the involvement of other members of Klopp’s contingent, with a total of 13 first team members called up and a further 18 players from the Academy set-up and loan contingent.

ROME, ITALY - JULY 03: Jordan Henderson of England celebrates after scoring their side's fourth goal during the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Quarter-final match between Ukraine and England at Olimpico Stadium on July 03, 2021 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Chris Ricco - UEFA)

Virgil van Dijk will make his long-awaited return to the international stage for the Netherlands under the returning manager Louis van Gaal and alongside former Reds teammate Gini Wijnaldum.

The No. 4 will return to captain his country against Norway (Sept 1), Montenegro (Sept 4) and Turkey (Sept 7).

Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold will be in the mix for England as they meet Hungary (Sept 2), Andorra (Sept 5) and Poland (Sept 8), aiming to extend their lead atop of their World Cup qualifying group.

A similar triple-header also awaits Andy Robertson when Scotland meet Denmark (Sept 1), Moldova (Sept 4) and Austria (Sept 7), an intense run on return from injury.

And Diogo Jota and Kostas Tsimikas close out the European representatives at senior level, with Neco Williams withdrawn due to injury – where Ben Woodburn was subsequently called up.

Diogo Jota, Portugal

Sadio Mane and Naby Keita, meanwhile, will have two games on their calendar for Senegal and Guinea respectively.

There is a promotion in the England setup for Harvey Elliott, with the 18-year-old joining Curtis Jones in the Young Lions’ under-21s squad to play Romania and Kosovo.

A further healthy seven-player contingent will feature for England’s various youth groups, including Kaide Gordon (U18s), James Norris (U19s) and Leighton Clarkson (U20s) and Harvey Davies (U20s).

Notably, Thiago and Ibrahima Konate will also remain on Merseyside with no call-up coming their way and fingers will be crossed that all internationals return fit and healthy.


Liverpool players on international duty in September

England's Curtis Jones during the UEFA Euro 2021 Under-21 Qualifying Group 3 match at Molineux, Wolverhampton. ( Mike Egerton/PA Wire/PA Images)

Senior players: Robertson, Alexander-Arnold, Henderson, Keita, Kelleher, Tsimikas, Van Dijk, Minamino, Jota, Mane, Elliott, Jones

Youth and loanees: Clarkson, Jaros, Van den Berg, Bradley, Beck, Boyes, Clayton, Hughes, Davies, Ojrzynski, Musialowski, Gordon, Cannonier, Norris, Jonas, Chambers, Frauendorf, Bajcetic, Roberts, Woodburn

Unlikely: Alisson, Fabinho, Firmino, Salah

Left out: Thiago, Konate, Origi, Adrian, Karius, Gomez, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Matip, Milner, Phillips, Ojo, Woodburn, R. Williams, N. Williams