Liverpool could be without four key players for Southampton as Arne Slot faces nervous wait

Liverpool could be without four key players for Southampton as Arne Slot faces nervous wait

The Reds have a number of injury concerns as the international break creeps towards a close and club football's return nears

Trent Alexander-Arnold leaves the field injured in Liverpool's win over Aston Villa at Anfield

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot will be keeping his fingers crossed over the coming days. The Reds have a number of injury concerns ahead of the return of Premier League football.

After a superb start to the campaign, Liverpool are five points clear at the summit of the table. They will be huge favourites heading into their next fixture too, which is at bottom club Southampton on Sunday.

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Before the international break the Reds were making do without some vital players. Alisson and Diogo Jota were both sidelined, while Harvey Elliott was another long-term absentee after picking up an injury early in the campaign.

During the two-week break from domestic action Elliott has been pictured back in training, while Slot said he was hopeful that both Alisson and Jota would be in contention to play again when club football resumed.

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Trent Alexander-Arnold gave the Reds a fresh concern in the 2-1 win at Aston Villa last time out.

The defender was injured in the first half of that clash and was replaced by Conor Bradley. The initial hope was that Alexander-Arnold would only be out for a couple of weeks, although with huge games coming up against Real Madrid in the Champions League and Manchester City in the Premier League, some caution may be applied to any comeback.

Liverpool still have a number of players in action for their nations in the coming days, with Slot likely to be watching on nervously.

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In South America, Darwin Nunez is set to feature for Uruguay against Brazil in what is a huge game on Tuesday night. Luis Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister will represent Colombia and Argentina respectively on the same evening.

Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo will also be in the Netherlands squad for the trip to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday.

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