Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson is expected to be sidelined for at least a month with a hamstring injury, British media reports said, in a potential blow to the club’s Premier League title hopes.
The Brazil international suffered the injury during a 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday and was replaced by Vitezslav Jaros after 79 minutes.
Liverpool, who are a point ahead of Manchester City and Arsenal at the top of the league standings, don’t expect to have the keeper back before the next international break in November. That means he will miss league games against Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa.
They also face RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League and take on Brighton in the League Cup during that period.
Asked about Alisson’s injury after Saturday’s game, Liverpool manager Arne Slot said Irishman Caoimhin Kelleher “is the number two” goalkeeper.
“Otherwise, the last time Alisson was injured I would have played Vit, but I played Caoimhin. So Caoimhin is the number two and did really well,” the Dutch coach added.
Kelleher missed the game at Palace due to illness, but made two appearances for Liverpool last month, in a league victory against Bournemouth and a League Cup win over West Ham United.
Alisson is also missing Brazil’s two World Cup qualifying matches, on Thursday against Chile and Peru on Tuesday.
