LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, June 3, 2018: Brazil's goalkeeper Alisson Becker during an international friendly between Brazil and Croatia at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Alisson & Fabinho make it 2 in 2 for Brazil ahead of Liverpool absence

Alisson and Fabinho both started again for Brazil on Sunday night, with the Liverpool pair busy throughout an international break which will rule them out vs. Watford.

Due to the scheduling of an extra round of World Cup qualifiers for CONMEBOL nations this month, Alisson and Fabinho will not return to England in time for the trip to Vicarage Road.

Brazil play Uruguay in the early hours of October 15, with Liverpool kicking off against Watford less than a day-and-a-half later.

There remain doubts over whether they will be able to feature in the Champions League clash at Atletico Madrid on October 19, too, despite the relaxation of quarantine rules in the UK.

It is perhaps a positive, then, that Alisson and Fabinho are at least being given valuable game time for their country, rather than spending the break on the bench as is often the case.

After both started in the 3-1 victory over Venezuela on Friday, the Liverpool duo played a second consecutive 90 minutes each just two days later.

It resulted in a clean sheet for Alisson – his 33rd in 49 games for Brazil – as a 0-0 draw was played out with Colombia in Barranquilla.

Fabinho started alongside Fred in a two-man midfield, with Gabriel Jesus, Neymar and Lucas Paqueta operating behind a sole striker in Flamengo centre-forward Gabigol.

Brazil dominated the game in terms of possession, but neither side was able to craft a genuine opening until the second half – even then, Alisson was busier with efforts from range.

Liverpool’s No. 1 thwarted Mateus Uribe and Juan Fernando Quintero, while the introduction of Leeds winger Raphinha – a long-term Reds target – sparked Brazil into life.

However, neither side were able to find a route through to goal, with a share of the points perhaps a fair result.

Brazil remain top of the CONMEBOL qualifying table after 10 games, six points ahead of second-placed Argentina – who they still need to play – and eight ahead of Ecuador in third with a game in hand.

It could be that Alisson and Fabinho are retained for a third start in a row this week, with Uruguay the visitors on Friday morning, after which they may fly directly to Spain.

If Liverpool arrange travel to Madrid ahead of the meeting with Atletico, it would allow Alisson and Fabinho to play in the Champions League, and by returning later than their team-mates they could avoid a 10-day quarantine in the UK.