Trent out for weeks, Salah still feeling pain in his foot

LONDON • Liverpool's quest for a clean sweep of four major trophies this season has been dealt a blow with right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold set to be sidelined for weeks by a hamstring injury.

The influential defender will definitely miss today's FA Cup quarter-final at Nottingham Forest and England's upcoming friendlies against the Ivory Coast and Switzerland.

Of most concern for Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, though, is whether the 23-year-old will be fit in time for both legs of his side's Champions League quarter-final against Benfica next month either side of a potential Premier League title decider at Manchester City.

Alexander-Arnold has been a vital player this term with two goals and a career-high 17 assists from 35 games in all competitions and Klopp said his potential replacement James Milner was still unwell.

"Trent is out with a hamstring (injury) so he can't be part of the England squad as well. Not good news, we'll see how long that takes," said the German, whose side have already won the League Cup.

"Of course to replace Trent is difficult, it would be difficult to find a one-to-one replacement but it's possible. We have James Milner and Joe Gomez... theoretically we can change the system as well so we have a couple of options.

"Trent is very influential but in the past when Milner had to step in he did incredibly well, he just has to be available. But how he'll be for Sunday I don't know at the moment. If he isn't available we can look at a young solution."

The Liverpool boss added that forward Mohamed Salah was still feeling the effects of a foot injury that he picked up in the league match against Brighton and Hove Albion last weekend.

The Egyptian came off the bench in the Reds' 2-0 victory against Arsenal on Wednesday.

"Mo felt his foot again a little bit after the game so we have to see what we do with that and on top of that there's some bits and bobs, so we have to wait," Klopp said.

"It's always like this. I want to have a team at Nottingham that's fresh enough physically and mentally and really is going for it.

"If we rotate - and I really don't know at the moment - then it's just to have the best team possible for this specific game on the pitch."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

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