Liverpool have been handed a fitness boost with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s hamstring injury deemed not to be serious.
The PA news agency understands scans have revealed the problem which forced him off in the first half of Saturday’s victory over Aston Villa is rated as a low grade issue.
It is believed the defender’s early intervention in signalling to the bench the need to come off in the 25th minute limited the damage.
That means he may only be sidelined for a couple of weeks, which would give him a chance of making his return when the Premier League leaders’ campaign resumes at Southampton on November 24.
However, with Real Madrid due to visit in the Champions League the following Wednesday and title rivals Manchester City arriving at Anfield four days later, head coach Arne Slot may opt to field Conor Bradley against Saints to allow Alexander-Arnold more recovery time.
It means, though, the right-back will miss England’s Nations League matches against Greece and Republic of Ireland.
Slot received a further fitness boost on Monday with Harvey Elliott, who has not featured since August after breaking a bone in his foot on England Under-21 duty, involved in a ball work session with the club’s youth-team players.
Alexander-Arnold’s fellow full-back Andy Robertson has had his own difficulties this season after seeing his regular first-team place come under pressure from Kostas Tsimikas.
Slot has said the Scotland international is suffering from not having a proper pre-season after playing through the pain of an ankle injury in the final three months of the previous campaign and then going to Euro 2024.
The 30-year-old was heavily criticised after last month’s draw at Arsenal and feels he has a point to prove.
“To an extent, yeah. Last couple of games I’ve been on the bench and I got doubters for the first time in a long time, first time at this club,” Robertson said after starting against Villa.
“But it suits me in this position. I am trying to prove people wrong again. I want to play every game, of course, but that was not possible.
“I am a lot older and a lot wiser now than when I came in. I am a lot more experienced and a lot better at switching off from everything like overreactions and things like that.
“Probably a bad 45 minutes of football against Arsenal, it was not great. I think pretty much everyone had written me off after that. That is football and that is what happens these days.
“People can write me off all they want. But I will always try to keep working, keep improving.”
Liverpool hold a five-point advantage over Manchester City after their long-time title rivals lost back-to-back league matches in a four-match losing run.
Robertson admitted it was important for the Reds to take advantage but said it was unwise to write off Pep Guardiola’s side.
“When your competitors drop points it is important you capitalise it. If they drop points, and obviously we knew that before the kick-off, you know it is a massive chance to go ahead of them.
“They are going through a tough moment with injuries but they have a quality squad and I am sure they will come back. They always finish the league strong.
“Just now we are ahead of them and if we keep winning games we will stay ahead but there is a long time to go. We have to keep the momentum we’ve got just now.”