picture alliance

Paul Joyce: Liverpool could be given huge double injury boost for Man United showdown

Originally posted on Empire of the Kop | By Liam Togher | Last updated 3/28/24

Liverpool could be in line for a massive double injury boost ahead of their visit to Old Trafford on Sunday week.

The Reds travel to face Manchester United on 7 April with revenge on their minds after the agonising FA Cup exit at the same venue earlier this month, this time seeking to maintain their Premier League title charge.

The Times’ Paul Joyce has reported (via The Anfield Talk) that two members of Jurgen Klopp’s squad are targeting a return to action for the showdown against Erik ten Hag’s side.

FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE

Trent Alexander-Arnold is aiming to be ready for the Old Trafford clash, having been ruled out with a knee injury since the win over Burnley in February.

Having suffered the same setback as the vice-captain a week later against Brentford, Liverpool could also see Diogo Jota return to action in time to face United.

() NEW:

Trent Alexander-Arnold is aiming to be ready for the Manchester Utd game on April 7th.

Diogo Jota could also be back then. [@_pauljoyce]

— The Anfield Talk (@TheAnfieldTalk) March 27, 2024

Liverpool’s monstrous injury list from a few weeks ago has cleared slightly of late with the returns of Mo Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai, while some other casualties are reportedly nearing a comeback, although Andy Robertson’s ankle blow for Scotland on Tuesday night is far from ideal.

The recent trip to Old Trafford saw Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo all suffer knocks, but the latter two subsequently featured on international duty and should be fine to face Brighton this Sunday.

Getting Trent and Jota back for the United clash would be a massive boost for the Reds, who could very much do with the vice-captain’s obscene playmaking ability and the 27-year-old’s cold-blooded finishing prowess to secure three points at the home of their biggest rivals.

Indeed, you can’t help but wonder if Liverpool would still be in the FA Cup had the Portuguese attacker been able to play against the Red Devils in the quarter-final defeat. You’d have fancied him to bury one or two of the gilt-edged chances that we passed up on that fateful afternoon in Manchester.

Of course, we still have two matches to negotiate before going to Old Trafford, so fingers crossed that the injury list won’t have any further additions in the meantime.