Jurgen Klopp has confirmed Trent Alexander-Arnold will miss Liverpool‘s Carabao Cup final against Chelsea on Feb. 25 with a knee injury, but said Mohamed Salah is available for their game against Brentford on Saturday.
Alexander-Arnold, 25, initially injured his knee against Arsenal in the FA Cup on Jan. 7 but returned as a substitute against Norwich later that month.
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However, he was forced off again at half-time during Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Burnley last weekend.
Klopp confirmed the injury and said the right-back could return “a week or two” after their upcoming final.
He also defended Alexander-Arnold’s initial return after suggestions he was rushed back early.
“I think we have to clarify a bit. I got the news that there was a discussion about we might have forced Trent back because two setbacks,” Klopp told a news conference on Friday.
“It’s really unfortunate. But different cases, different scenarios. As long as I’m here we never forced anybody back, [and] will never do.
“The last decision is then always by the player and if you listen only to the player then the players would play after two weeks then it’s a real problem.
“Very, very unlucky and unfortunate. It’s not great but it says nothing about the quality of anybody here.”
Midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai is also in doubt for the Carabao Cup final as he recovers from a hamstring injury.
Meanwhile, Klopp confirmed Mohamed Salah is fit again as he returned to full training this week after he sustained a hamstring injury while playing for Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations
Salah has not played for Liverpool since their 4-2 win over Newcastle on New Year’s Day.
Goalkeeper Alisson and defenders Joe Gomez, Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konaté are also available for Saturday’s game.