Liverpool’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa at Anfield this weekend has been thrown into chaos as both sides battle a growing injury list.
What was expected to be a fiery encounter between two ambitious teams now comes with a long list of absentees — and a few big names among them.
The Reds are desperate to stop their alarming slide after four straight league defeats.
Arne Slot’s men looked lost in their 3-2 defeat to Brentford, with errors all over the pitch and confidence clearly shaken. Liverpool now sit seventh in the table, level on points with Aston Villa but ahead on goal difference.
Saturday’s game is being billed as a test of character, but the challenge just got tougher.
Alisson Becker remains out with a hamstring injury and is only expected back after the next international break. His absence has been painfully obvious, with the Reds conceding 14 goals since he was sidelined.
Jeremie Frimpong, who limped off in the win over Eintracht Frankfurt, is also ruled out.
Meanwhile, Curtis Jones, Ryan Gravenberch, and Alexander Isak are all doubts after picking up knocks in recent weeks. Slot reportedly hopes at least one of them can pass a late fitness test, but nothing is confirmed yet.
Aston Villa also set to miss key players for Liverpool clash
Aston Villa have their own problems to deal with. Unai Emery’s side, who have surged into form with wins over Manchester City and Tottenham, will travel to Anfield without several key figures.
Emiliano Buendia, Youri Tielemans, and Andres Garcia Robledo are all unavailable. Buendia’s foot injury, suffered in the win over City, is feared to be serious, while Tielemans continues to recover from a calf setback.
Adding to Villa’s worries, on-loan midfielder Harvey Elliott cannot face his parent club due to Premier League rules. That leaves Emery with some reshuffling to do in midfield, just as he looked to have found the right balance.
Both sides, then, are walking wounded — but with plenty still at stake. For Liverpool, it’s about halting a crisis and reigniting their title defense. For Villa, it’s a chance to climb into the top four and make a real statement.
The injuries might have taken some star power out of this clash, but don’t expect the intensity to drop. As the saying goes, when the going gets tough, the tough get scoring — and both teams are desperate to get going again.