Liverpool vs Genk: Reds injury crisis has hit at exactly the right time

The Liverpool injury crisis has hit the club at exactly the right time as they prepare to play Genk in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is down. Joel Matip is down. Xherdan Shaqiri is down. Mohamed Salah might not be available, even though he did travel with the squad to Belgium.

Alexander-Arnold and Matip haven’t going with the team to face their Champions League opponents, and it’s been rare to seem two members of the defence out of things because of injury – but you’d rather it happens now than on Thursday or Friday.

Liverpool take on Tottenham on Sunday and that’s going to be a much harder game to get three points out of than their Jupiler League opposition on Wednesday. Spurs are fresh off a 5-0 hammering of Red Star Belgrade and that’s the type of result that can boost a dressing room moral.

Alexander-Arnold has a virus and you’d hope he’ll be ready to jump back in at right-back this weekend, but even if he isn’t Jurgen Klopp can pick from Joe Gomez or James Milner to play there – while Matip will be covered by Dejan Lovren or Gomez.

Salah’s absence may not be the worst thing ever, either. Although we would have wanted him in the front three against Manchester United, Divock Origi did fairly well too and if this break can help him going into the hectic November/December then that’s come at the right time too.

This is as close to an injury crisis as Liverpool have had this season, but compared to Manchester City it’s small fry. Their back four are dropping like flies and that will help the Reds in the future, but right now we must focus on Wednesday night.

There is a good chance Klopp would have rotated anyway. The injuries are little niggles and some players need an enforced rest. This crisis is definitely happening at the right time.