Liverpool's Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker
London (AFP) - Liverpool boss Arne Slot has revealed the club’s Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker is a doubt for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Bournemouth.
Alisson aggravated a hamstring injury that had been troubling him for several weeks during Tuesday’s Champions League win at AC Milan.
The Brazil international has played every match for Liverpool this season, keeping three clean sheets in five games in all competitions, and his absence would be a blow to title-chasing Liverpool.
Ireland keeper Caoimhin Kelleher would likely deputise for Alisson if the 31-year-old cannot face Bournemouth at Anfield this weekend.
“Alisson is still a doubt if he can train today and if he can’t, probably won’t play. He has a slight issue with one of his muscles,” Slot told reporters on Friday.
“We wonder if this game tomorrow is coming too early or not. He didn’t take it from the Milan game, it happened a bit before, but after the Milan game he felt it more.
“Now we have to wait and see if he is ready to be in goal tomorrow or wait a few extra days.”
With Liverpool in the middle of a gruelling run of seven games in 22 days, Alisson spoke ahead of the Milan game about his concern over the increased workload players face with the expansion of the Champions League.
“What we want is to give our best for the football. If you are tired you cannot compete at a high level,” Alisson said in Milan.
“I want to give my best in all the games I play but we need a solution. It does not look like we are close to a good solution for football’s sake and players’ sake.”
Slot acknowledged it is important to consider the health of players, given the extra burden placed on them by the schedule.
“We are thinking about what’s to come, we are aware of the fact it’s a long season,” he said.
“The main difference with the Premier League to Europe is we have to play at Christmas and New Year.
“We need a lot of players and we take that into account when making a line-up.”