Liverpool player faces extra workload as injury nightmare threatens again

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Liverpool could see a return of injury problems as absences rack up. Joel Matip, in particular, looks like a worry right now.

Last season was a nightmare scenario for Liverpool. Injuries tore their squad apart, leaving them without any senior centre-backs for the majority of the campaign.

Virgil van Dijk went down in October and didn’t return. Joe Gomez followed suit a month later. Joel Matip, who struggled with his fitness all season, didn’t make it past January.

All three returned over the summer, with Liverpool adding Ibrahima Konate for extra depth. Right now, however, it does feel as though a similar situation is on the brink.

Liverpool injury concerns

Van Dijk missed the fixture against Newcastle United in midweek with a positive Covid-19 result. That could potentially leave him out for some time, even after he’s given the all-clear.

It comes at a time when Gomez is only just making his way back from injury. The 24-year-old has only played 26 minutes since October – Liverpool need to be careful with him.

And that brings us back to Matip. He’s not a player who’s been able to avoid injury in recent years but Liverpool need him playing every game right now. There’s a real concern he could break down again – it is, unfortunately, what usually happens.

With both Gomez and Van Dijk having worries, too, there’s a threat of last season here. Now, it’s not as bad, of course. None of them should miss the entire season, after all.

But it does feel like Liverpool are one injury away from being down to Konate and Nat Phillips as their centre-back pairing this month. That’s certainly an upgrade on last year, though it’s still a concern. The Reds just need to be careful here.