Liverpool journalist shares 14-word injury update that Slot didn’t need ahead of double header | OneFootball

Paul Joyce has relayed some unwelcome news on the injury front for Liverpool ahead of a pivotal week in their season.

The Reds currently lead the way in both the Champions League and Premier League, but they face the holders of those respective titles at Anfield in the coming days as Real Madrid visit on Wednesday night and Manchester City come to town next Sunday.

Arne Slot has already had to manage without Alisson Becker, Diogo Jota, Federico Chiesa and Trent Alexander-Arnold in recent weeks, and another player now looks set to miss the heavyweight double header.

Liverpool handed fresh injury blow

On Tuesday morning, Joyce took to X with a 14-word injury update regarding Kostas Tsimikas, who missed Liverpool’s win over Southampton at the weekend.

The Times’ Reds correspondent posted: “Kostas Tsimikas facing short spell on sidelines for Liverpool after injuring ankle in training.”

Tsimikas could miss several matches through injury

(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

David Lynch had already cast doubt on the Greek defender’s involvement against Real Madrid when he revealed that a source to whom he spoke seemed unsure as to when the 28-year-old would return, and our number 21 now looks set to miss a few games.

Joyce didn’t specify an exact timeline for Tsimikas’ injury, but the Anfield double header is swiftly followed by quickfire visits to Newcastle and Everton, along with a Champions League clash against Girona, so even a two-week absence could rule out the left-back for as many as five matches.

It means that Slot will be reliant on Andy Robertson avoiding any issues of his own, and also rediscovering his usual standards after a difficult outing against Southampton at the weekend in which he gave away a penalty and was tormented at times by Tyler Dibling.

Another injury concern is not what the Liverpool boss needed ahead of the showdowns against Real Madrid and Man City, but such is the hand that he’s been dealt, and he’s hitherto navigated several other absences without any detriment to the team’s results.

Thankfully, Joyce’s update stated that Tsimikas is likely to be out for only a ‘short spell’, so all going well we won’t have to wait much longer for him to be available for Liverpool once more.