Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson Becker Cleared to Face Arsenal

After a Covid scare at Liverpool saw the club’s training ground shuttered and the first leg of their League Cup semi-final against Arsenal pushed back last week, Liverpool were back in action over the weekend against Shrewsbury town in the third round of the FA Cup.

Now, Jürgen Klopp and the players have turned their attention back to Arsenal, and aside from the players missing due to the small matter of an ongoing international tournament in Africa, the Liverpool manager will have a mostly fit squad available to him for the game.

“Trent and Ali trained yesterday,” Klopp said when asked who would be available to face Arsenal. “Origi and Thiago didn’t, so that’s it pretty much. All players apart from the injured or those who tested positive—or are playing in the Africa Cup of Nations—are available.

“Harvey Elliott looks really promising out on the pitch. He didn’t train with the team yet but I don’t think we’re too far from team training. Robbo got a little knock in the Shrewsbury game but it’s fine. I don’t think I forgot about anybody else so the rest are available.”

Tent Alexander-Arnold had been held out of training over the weekend due to having returned a positive Covid test and was unable to face Shrewsbury as a result, while first choice goalkeeper Alisson missed that game and Chelsea in the league on January 2nd.

For Elliott, a return to team training in January was always the target—and with it potentially a return to action in February—after the youngster suffered a dislocated ankle against Leeds in September, and that the talented 18-year-old remains on schedule is promising news.