Liverpool suffer two injuries in first half at Brentford one week before final

17 February 2024 , 13:25

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Jurgen Klopp's problems have worsened (Image: ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Jurgen Klopp has been dealt two more injury blows after Liverpool stars Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota were subbed off against Brentford.

Jones, 23, is currently enjoying his best season to date for the Reds but could now miss the Carabao Cup final next Sunday alongside Jota, who's been in great goalscoring form. England youth international Jones hobbled off in the 34th minute following a challenge from Brentford's Christian Norgaard, the first addition to Klopp's growing injury crisis.

Klopp called on Ryan Gravenberch and in pleasing news for the Liverpool boss, Jota set Darwin Nunez up to make it 1-0 two minutes after their first substitution. Jones had just finished walking gingerly around the pitch and towards the dressing room.

And just before half-time, Norgaard was the culprit again after falling on Jota's knee. The ex-Wolves star was taken off on a stretcher, allowing the fit-again Mohamed Salah to return from the bench. Nunez was then taken off at the break for Cody Gakpo, although it's unknown whether or not the Uruguayan was injured.

Jones and Jota are now set to join seven teammates in Liverpool's treatment room. Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic , Ben Doak and Dominik Szoboszlai all missed the trip to Brentford, with the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea coming in just eight days' time.

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Speaking to TNT Sports pre-match, Klopp bemoaned: "Trent is injured, Thiago is injured, Dom is injured, that was all clear. And yesterday in the last training session, minus one, Ali pulled out. That's really not cool.

"But besides that, we have plenty of players coming back. I don't know how many changes we made actually, I just made the line-up, so you have to tell me how many changes we have. We just try to figure out how can we be the worst opponent for Brentford, which is a big task, to be honest."

Diogo Jota was the second Liverpool player to be subbed (ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Your turn! How should Liverpool deal with their injury crisis? Join the debate in the comments section.

Asked if he knew the extent of goalkeeper Alisson's injury, Klopp responded: "No, I don't know that. It's a muscle and we don't know yet. We have to wait. How it always is, maybe tomorrow or the day after tomorrow we will know more."

Reliable backup Caoimhin Kelleher came in for Alisson and now Gravenberch has the opportunity to stake a claim in midfield while Jones is out. The Dutchman, who signed from Bayern Munich last summer, was slammed by Klopp during Liverpool's recent 3-1 defeat to title rivals Arsenal, having pressed poorly which allowed the Gunners to breakaway. Salah, meanwhile, is a more assured replacement for the Premier League's January Player of the Month, Jota.

Nathan Ridley