Liverpool Injuries: Every Player Missing for Huge Man City Match

Anfield’s biggest afternoon of the season has been clouded by a lengthening casualty list, with Liverpool set to face Manchester City on Sunday without up to six senior options. What was once billed as a potential title decider has, for the Reds, become a dogged pursuit of top-five relevance and the Champions League berth that accompanies it.

Record £110 million striker Alexander Isak will again watch from the stands after surgery on the broken leg sustained in the 2–1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on 23 December. The Swede’s rehabilitation remains on course, but staff do not expect him to resume full training before April, leaving Hugo Ekitiké to continue deputising in attack.

On the opposite flank, the right-back cupboard is almost bare. Jeremie Frimpong, who has managed only sporadic minutes since arriving at the club, pulled up inside ten minutes of the 6–0 rout of Qarabağ and has been ruled out of the City contest with a groin strain. He joins Conor Bradley—already lost for the season after knee surgery following the 0–0 draw with Arsenal—on the sidelines, stripping manager Arne Slot of natural options at full-back.

A sliver of encouragement comes in the form of Joe Gomez. The England defender sat out the last two matches after picking up a knock against Bournemouth, but Slot revealed on Friday that Gomez could yet be involved. “With Joe, we have a little bit of hope that he might train Saturday,” the Dutch coach said. “So, not available to start but maybe available to help the team if needed during the game, because, as you already know, there are not that many defenders available at the moment.”

Long-term absentees Giovanni Leoni and the aforementioned Bradley are progressing through their respective rehabs. Leoni, 19, tore an ACL in the Carabao Cup win over Southampton in September and will not feature again this term, while Bradley’s return date remains unspecified.

City, chasing leaders Arsenal, arrive on Merseyside knowing a victory keeps the pressure on at the summit; for Liverpool, three points would haul them closer to the coveted top five. Yet with a threadbare defensive unit and a club-record striker still in plaster, the hosts must once again find a way to bridge the gap between ambition and availability.