Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp could be forced into fielding a 12th different centre-back pairing in just their 21st Premier League match this season.
Long-term injuries to Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez left Klopp with the injury-prone Joel Matip as his only senior central defender.
Advertisement
But Matip is now sidelined as well with ankle ligament damage and will miss Sunday’s trip to West Ham.
Midfielder Fabinho has been used as a stop-gap with some success but he sat out Thursday’s win over Tottenham with a muscle problem and will not feature this weekend.
Advertisement
That would leave Klopp’s likely options being Jordan Henderson plus either Nat Phillips (five senior Liverpool appearances) or 19-year-old Rhys Williams (12 appearances).
