The latest on Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s hamstring injury appears to be positive, with the Liverpool right-back expected to be available for the majority of April.
The Reds are currently set to play eight games across 27 days next month, with the possibility of a Champions League semi-final first leg squeezed into the schedule too.
It should be a defining month for Jurgen Klopp‘s side, and the manager will be eager for his first-choice right-back to be available as Watford, Benfica (twice), Man City (twice), Man United, Everton and Newcastle await.
Before the 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup, Klopp revealed that Alexander-Arnold would miss out due to a hamstring injury which also forces him out of England duty.
He confirmed his No. 66 is likely to be sidelined for weeks, and it was reported soon after that the player himself was targeting a return for the Premier League title clash with Man City on April 10.
Due to a lack of concrete information on scans on Alexander-Arnold’s injury, it remains to be seen how severe the issue is.
But in his column for The Athletic on Monday, James Pearce revealed that it “isn’t serious” and that there is “cautious optimism” that, all being well, the 23-year-old “should be fit for most of that April schedule.”
It is a big boost for Liverpool, who are aided by the timing of Alexander-Arnold’s injury, with it always likely he would be rested for the trip to Forest, after which there is a 12-day break to the domestic schedule.
That time off will allow the playmaker to recover without missing any fixtures, with the suggestion being that he would only be out for the home clash with Watford and the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final at Benfica.
Liverpool should be able to do without Alexander-Arnold for those games, particularly given how impressive Joe Gomez was in his absence against Forest.
Gomez made only his seventh start of the season at the City Ground and, despite his limitations as a natural centre-back, caught the eye with his ability to push forward and get into positions to create chances.
Reflecting on Alexander-Arnold’s injury in his pre-Forest press conference, Klopp admitted: “I don’t know any player who plays like Trent in the world.”
But at least Liverpool are still able to call upon a serviceable replacement, with James Milner and academy youngster Conor Bradley also available – as well as Fabinho.
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