Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has aggravated a knee injury and will not be fit for the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea on February 25, according to a report.
England international Alexander-Arnold will miss the Reds’ trip to Brentford on Saturday, the visit of Luton Town on Wednesday and the final, The Times has said, adding that no date has been planned for the influential wideman’s return.
Manager Jurgen Klopp, who has just seen first-choice left-back Andy Robertson return from a long-term shoulder injury, could turn to in-form youngster Conor Bradley if Alexander-Arnold is absent.
Bradley, 20, won Liverpool’s Goal of the Month award for the strike which opened his senior account for the club in a 4-1 home win over Chelsea on January 31.
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Alexander-Arnold missed both legs of Liverpool’s semi-final win over Fulham with a knee injury, as well as their 4-0 win at Bournemouth.
Trent Alexander-Arnold injury news: Defender ‘felt it a little bit’
The 25-year-old made brief appearances against Chelsea and at Norwich City in the FA Cup, also managing 58 minutes in a 3-1 defeat at Arsenal before being substituted at half-time in the 3-1 win at home to Burnley on Saturday.
“He felt it a little bit, in the same area in the knee where he had the last injury,” Klopp told Talksport, praising Curtis Jones’ performance after reverting to right-back.
“So we have to see, we have to assess that. He looked alright but felt it a little bit, so we had to take him off.
“And then with the situation we have availability-wise, we had to put Curtis at right-back. He did extremely well, I have to say.”
Alexander-Arnold set up Diogo Jota’s opener against the Clarets with his 10th assist of the season in all competitions.
The academy graduate has also scored twice – both in the Premier League – but missed four games with a hamstring injury in September and sat out the Three Lions’ friendly win in Scotland that month.
Alexander-Arnold featured in all but one of his club’s Premier League matches in 2022/23.
