Liverpool could be sweating over the fitness of one of their key midfielders ahead of Sunday’s blockbuster clash against Manchester United.
Liverpool ace Ryan Gravenberch suffered hamstring discomfort and was taken off as a precaution at half-time during the Netherlands’ World Cup qualifying victory over Finland.
He previously played the entire 90 minutes of Netherlands’ 4-0 win over Malta on Thursday.
The £71 million-rated midfielder has been a near ever-present under Arne Slot, starting all but one Premier League game so far this season.
His only absence came on the opening day against Bournemouth, when he was sidelined due to suspension.
Aside from Gravenberch, Ibrahima Konate is also a major doubt for the weekend after withdrawing from France’s World Cup qualifier against Iceland.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot will hope that the duo can recover in time to be available for selection.
He has already confirmed that goalkeeper Alisson Becker and defender Giovanni Leoni will miss the clash due to injuries.
Wataru Endo has also missed Japan’s friendlies with a hamstring issue.
United head coach Ruben Amorim will be looking to exploit Liverpool’s potential weakness in defensive midfield should both Gravenberch and Endo fail to make the cut.
While Slot’s men boast plenty of attacking firepower, they have looked susceptible defensively in recent weeks.
Gravenberch is primarily tasked with providing solidity to the defence, allowing Alexis Mac Allister to operate with more freedom to progress the ball forward.
For United, a draw would be a decent result, but a victory could offer Amorim some breathing room at Old Trafford after a poor run of form.
A shock win at Anfield could even close the gap to Liverpool to just two points, reigniting the Red Devils’ push for UEFA Champions League qualification.
Stats from Fotmob.com
