03 December 2023 , 17:53
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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has admitted Joel Matip's absence "will not be a short one" after the defender was forced off with a suspected ankle injury against Fulham.
Matip did try to play on after appearing to hurt himself while clearing the ball in the second-half, but ultimately had to be replaced by Ibrahima Konate. And when asked about the injury following the game, which Liverpool won 4-3 in dramatic fashion, Klopp gave a worrying update.
"We lost Joel," he said. "We obviously have no scan yet but after what you hear and can see, that will not be a short one. Unlucky but we have to get through this." News of Matip's injury comes as another major blow to Liverpool, who already have Alisson, Diogo Jota, Andy Robertson, Thiago and Stefan Bajcetic currently sidelined.
However, they remain just two points behind league leaders Arsenal after coming from behind to beat Fulham thanks to two late goals from Wataru Endo and Trent Alexander-Arnold. After substitute Bobby De Cordova-Reid gave Marco Silva's side the lead in the 80th minute, it appeared as though Liverpool were set to lose a league game at Anfield for the first time since October 2022.
But summer signing Endo came up trumps off the bench with his first league goal in the 87th minute, before Alexander-Arnold sealed a stunning win for Liverpool mere moments later. Reflecting on the victory, Alexander-Arnold admitted: "It was mental, to be honest.
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"A game of ups and downs - leading then getting clawed back twice, losing with five minutes to go, getting the equaliser then the winner. It's an unbelievable game full of emotion, we're just very happy to get the win and get over the line."
Klopp, meanwhile, said the win was a "good start to a busy period" but admitted his side were "a bit dumb" and that some of their defending was "awful". He added: "I don't think I ever saw a game with this amount of beautiful goals.
Joel Matip picked up an injury in Liverpool's dramatic win over Fulham (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)"We scored incredible goals today, but because we were a bit dumb we almost gave it away. In the first half when we gave the goals away the defending was awful. Football is decided in details.
"We were really good in the game and played a lot of good stuff but it was 2-2 at half-time and deserved. They were there and scored a wonderful goal and it was 3-2 and everyone in a Fulham shirt thought that was it maybe and then we throw back with two worldies.
"We changed system a couple of times. There were tight moments, a lot of credit to Fulham, they had a really good idea, when we lost momentum they were there to cause us problems. We have to get through this, this was a good start to a busy period."