Man City and Arsenal have nowhere left to hide as Liverpool truth becomes clear

The last time Liverpool faced Southampton back in February 2024, they were without the services of a whopping 13 members of Jurgen Klopp’s first team squad. The Reds had already been done to the bare bones when defeating Chelsea in the 2024 League Cup final days earlier, but injuries to Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo at Wembley inflicted a further strain on the club’s treatment room.

Turning to the club’s youth ranks, both against the Londoners in the capital and back at Anfield against the Saints, Liverpool successfully navigated those winter months despite such a crippling injury crisis.

Their absentees gradually returned as winter turned to spring, but the knock-on effects from such issues perhaps impacted the Reds come the end of the campaign.

READ MORE: What Federico Chiesa was doing at AXA Training Centre as Alisson Becker hands Liverpool boost

READ MORE: 'Cheap violence' - Alexis Mac Allister forced off as Liverpool star suffers 'tremendous kick'

At one point in contention for all four major trophies, Liverpool’s Premier League title charge fell apart while they exited both the FA Cup and Europa League in quick-succession.

Consequently, the Reds know what it is like to truly see their ranks decimated by injury. They were regularly stung during Klopp’s reign at the club, but arguably never worse than when they last clashed with the Saints nine months ago.

In part, that is why there has not been more noise about Liverpool’s injuries this year, despite being left with Alisson Becker, Federico Chiesa, Diogo Jota and Harvey Elliott for considerable periods. The quartet have all been absent for at least the last month.

Meanwhile, in total, they have seen eight players miss Premier League or Champions League matches so far this season because of injury or illness.

Such a total could rise when the Reds travel to Southampton on Sunday, with both captain Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold potential doubts after the former returned prematurely from international duty with ‘minor complaints’ after missing parts of training, while the latter limped off against Aston Villa with a hamstring injury prior to the November international break.

Arne Slot could at least be bolstered by the return of Elliott at St. Mary’s after the England Under-21s international returned to team training during the break. However, both Alisson and Chiesa are yet to make such a step, while Jota is already confirmed to be out until December.

With Slot set to offer an injury update at his pre-match press conference on Friday, it remains to be seen how many of Liverpool’s walking wounded will be in contention for the trip to St. Mary’s. At worst, they could remain without the services of six senior players - barring any new setbacks.

Realistically though, they will hope that Van Dijk and Elliott are cleared to play at least, with Alisson, Alexander-Arnold and Chiesa perhaps not too far behind.

Given their incredible start to the season under Slot, winning 15 of his 17 matches to date, the Reds have had little reason to bemoan any absences.

But it is a different story for title-rivals Man City and Arsenal, who were both embroiled in a mini-rut prior to the international break.

Trailing Liverpool by five and nine points respectively, City have lost their last four matches in all competitions while Arsenal have won just one of their last six outings in the Premier League and Champions League - losing three.

Consequently, both Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta have been left bleating about their respective injury crises when trying to explain away their loss of form.

In truth, their own woes have not been considerably worse than the Reds, with their own total of absentees standing at 11 players so far this season. Hardly 13 ruled out at once, is it?

According to Premier League injuries, City are currently without 10 players and Arsenal seven in contrast to Liverpool’s six. But such issues are about to dry up considerably.

From City’s 10 injured players, only Rodri and Oscar Bobb are long-term absentees with Premier League injuries currently pencilling in Ruben Dias, John Stones, Jeremy Doku, Matheus Nunes, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish to all be available for clash with Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

Meanwhile, while Arsenal are set to be without Ben White until the New Year, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Riccardo Calafiori are also expected to be back for the Gunners’ next clash at home to Nottingham Forest.

Leandro Trossard is said to only be side-lined by a knock, with no return date yet scheduled, while Arteta has already confirmed that Kieran Tierney is gradually closing in on a return.

Of course, such dates can be slightly inaccurate - especially prior to the managers offering their latest injury updates in their next pre-match press conferences. For example, Elliott is said to be out until December despite his return to team training while Chiesa is pencilled to return away at Southampton. But they at least act as a rough guide for now.

What it does tell us is that, as things stand, City and Arsenal’s excuse for recent loss of form is about to evaporate.

With Liverpool currently five points clear at the top of the table, they even have the potential to extend their advantage to eight points when City visit Anfield on December 1.

City and Arsenal will soon no longer be able to hide behind their injury lists. It is time for Guardiola and Arteta’s ranks to put their money where their mouths are if they don’t wish to lose further ground in the Premier League title-race.