Liverpool set for double injury boost as young duo near return

Liverpool’s injury situation is, in a word, frustrating, but two young talents who spent pre-season on the sidelines are now due for an imminent return.

The Reds are only two games into the campaign proper and already the injuries are piling up, with Thiago the latest to sustain a fitness issue.

Thiago joins Ibrahima Konate, Diogo Jota, Curtis Jones, Kostas Tsimikas, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Caoimhin Kelleher on the absentee list, while Naby Keita is currently ill and there are doubts over Nat Phillips, too.

Speaking after the 2-2 draw with Fulham on Saturday, Jurgen Klopp admitted that “this is not a good situation,” but insisted those within the club were “not panicking.”

Liverpool are still awaiting the results of a scan on Thiago‘s hamstring injury, while Konate has returned to France as he recovers from a knee problem.

But there is some good news when it comes to the young duo of Calvin Ramsay and Kaide Gordon, who are nearing their return to full training.

That is according to GOAL‘s Neil Jones, who writes that Ramsay is “close to a return to action” and that Gordon “is likely to return in the next week or so.”

Understandably, he notes that the pair could be given game time with the under-21s in order to build up match sharpness after lengthy spells out.

Ramsay is yet to even train with his new team-mates following a £6.5 million move from Aberdeen this summer, with club medical staff having discovered an injury during his fitness checks on day one of pre-season.

Meanwhile, Gordon has spent much of 2022 so far on the treatment table with various issues that can be seen as normal for a 17-year-old whose body is still developing.

The U21s began their Premier League 2 campaign with a 3-0 loss to Man City on Sunday, with the average age of the side fielded by Barry Lewtas just 18.2 years.

It is likely to remain that way for much of the season, with Liverpool focused on nurturing a remarkable crop of teenagers including Stefan Bajcetic, Melkamu Frauendorf, Isaac Mabaya and Bobby Clark.

Gordon does not turn 18 until October, while Ramsay only celebrated his 19th birthday on July 31.

Eventually, though, the pair will be introduced into the first-team setup as regulars, with Ramsay in particular expected to provide capable backup to Trent Alexander-Arnold.