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Every Liverpool player on international duty this week as World Cup qualifiers heat up
After another disappointing performance and defeat in the Premier League, attention for many of Liverpool’s top stars switches to international football for the November break.
Many of Liverpool’s first-team and youth stars will be on international duty over the November break. | Liverpool FC via Getty Images
As many as 15 Reds stars have been called up to represent their country at senior level, amidst several first-team injuries which may have seen that number approach 20 otherwise.
Alisson Becker, Jeremie Frimpong and Geovanni Leoni are out injured and unavailable to be called up, while Federico Chiesa, Curtis Jones and Joe Gomez have again missed out on selection. Alexander Isak may feature for Sweden despite his recent injury lay-off for the Reds.
This international break could prove a crucial one for several of Liverpool’s stars, with the World Cup on the horizon in just seven months’ time. Come the return of club football in late November, several further nations could have secured qualification for what is set to be the largest World Cup in terms of number of nations competing in history.
Which Liverpool stars will be away on international break?
Several Liverpool stars will be away representing some of the biggest and best nations in the world, all of whom will have aims of winning the World Cup next summer. None will be representing England at present, though, following the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold in the summer and the snubs of Jones and Gomez.
Alexis Mac Allister will be representing the reigning World Champions in Argentina, taking to the field alongside the likes of Lionel Messi as the already-qualified Argentines face a friendly against Angola on November 14.
The same goes for Mohamed Salah and Wataru Endo, whose nations, Egypt and Japan respectively, have also both already qualified. Both men are the captains of their national teams and will lead their sides out in friendlies against Uzbekistan in the case of Salah, and both Ghana and Bolivia at home for Endo and Japan.
Liverpool boast three players on the Netherlands international team, including captain Virgil van Dijk, alongside Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch. The Dutch face qualifiers against Poland and Lithuania.
The Reds also have two representatives in 2018 World Cup winners France’s squad, though neither of Ibrahima Konate or Hugo Ekitike were playing when Les Bleus were crowned champions of the world in Russia. They face Ukraine and Azerbaijan as they look to secure qualification for the 2026 tournament.
The rest of Slot’s international Reds
Elsewhere, Liverpool now have two players within the Hungary side. Dominik Szoboszlai, arguably the Reds’ player of the season so far, is the Hungarian captain, while new club team-mate Milos Kerkez will line up alongside him. Hungary face Armenia and the Republic of Ireland over the break.
Conor Bradley, aged just 22, also captains Northern Ireland, who will face Slovakia and Luxembourg as they look to continue a strong qualification campaign and keep their World Cup chances alive.
Florian Wirtz will represent Germany as they face Luxembourg and Slovakia, while British-record signing Isak will hope to return to action for Sweden against Switzerland and Slovenia. Finally, Giorgi Mamardashvili will face Spain and Bulgaria for Georgia while Scotland captain Andy Robertson will lead his troops into clashes with Greece and Denmark.
On the youth international stage, the Reds also boast several young stars who will represent their nations at various youth levels. These include Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni, both of whom will represent England U19s in their internationals against Lithuania and Latvia.
Other Reds youth internationals called up include Trent Kone-Doherty (Republic of Ireland U21s vs England and Andorra), Kieran Morrison (Northern Ireland U21s vs Latvia and Greece) and Armin Pecsi (Hungary U21s vs Croatia).
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Arsenal injury, suspension list and return dates vs. Portsmouth: Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori, Cristhian Mosquera latest
Arsenal will begin their bid to win the FA Cup for the 15th time in their history when they travel to Fratton Park for Sunday’s meeting with Championship strugglers Portsmouth.
The Gunners missed the chance to further extend their six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table in Thursday’s underwhelming goalless draw against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.
While their five-game winning league run came to an end, Mikel Arteta will be pleased with the fact that his side are now unbeaten in seven competitive matches ahead of Sunday’s cup tie and Wednesday’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea.
Here, Sports Mole rounds up all of Arsenal’s latest injury and suspension news ahead of the clash with Portsmouth, who are languishing in 21st spot in the Championship standings.
Piero Hincapie
Status: Major doubt
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: January 11 (vs. Portsmouth)
Hincapie was forced off with what appeared to be a muscle problem in the 57th minute of Thursday’s draw with Liverpool. Arteta now faces a nervous wait to discover the full extent of the defender’s injury.
Kai Havertz
Status: Minor doubt
Type of injury: Match fitness
Possible return date: January 11 (vs. Portsmouth)
Havertz has recovered from the knee injury that kept him out of action for months. However, he has been left out of Arsenal’s last two matchday squads as he continues to build up his fitness. There is a possibility that the forward could make his first appearance since August in Sunday’s FA Cup clash.
Riccardo Calafiori
Status: Out
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: January 14 (vs. Chelsea)
Calafiori has sat out Arsenal’s last four matches with a muscle injury. The defender is making progress in his recovery, but he is not expected to be ready for the upcoming trip to the south coast.
Cristhian Mosquera
Status: Out
Type of injury: Ankle
Possible return date: January 14 (vs. Chelsea)
Like Calafiori, Mosquera is closing in on a return to action after missing over a month of action due to an ankle injury. However, the former Valencia defender will not be available for selection this weekend.
Max Dowman
Status: Out
Type of injury: Ankle
Possible return date: Unknown
Max Dowman is likely to be out until February after sustaining an ankle problem while playing for Arsenal Under-21s in last month’s behind-closed-doors friendly against Manchester United.
ARSENAL’S SUSPENSION LIST
Arsenal have no players suspended for the third-round tie.
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
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Whether or not the right players are out there remains to be seen, but with Arteta enduring several injury blows already this season – particularly in defence – the manager will be keeping a close eye on potential targets.
The Gunners splashed the cash in the summer, bringing in the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera to the Emirates Stadium – so a loan deal might favour the club
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There could also be high-profile exits, both loans and permanent deals, with young midfield talent Ethan Nwaneri linked with an exit. Other youngsters could also make loan moves to get a taste of first-team football.
With that said, football.london takes a closer look at all the moves completed by Arsenal so far this January.
Read the latest information on injuries, suspensions and availability in the Liverpool men’s squad.
Injuries
Hugo Ekitike
Ekitike was unavailable for the clash with Fulham because of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Arne Slot was asked whether he will be fit for the game at Arsenal on January 8.
Slot on January 7: “He has not trained with us until now and let’s see if he can today.
“I’ve said, I think, two or three days ago when we played Fulham that he is not going to be out for long but because games come so fast he is in between maybe training with the team or it would take him one or two days extra.”
Wataru Endo
The midfielder has been out of action with an ankle injury since appearing in the 3-3 draw at Leeds United on December 6.
Alexander Isak
Isak is facing a spell on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture on December 22.
He sustained the issue while scoring against Tottenham Hotspur two days prior.
Slot on December 23: “It’s going to be a long injury. For a couple of months. That’s a big, big, big disappointment for him and as a result of that of course also for us.”
Slot did also confirm he is confident Isak will be able to play again during the 2025-26 season.
Giovanni Leoni
The defender is amid a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the end of his debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.
Slot on September 26: “He is not in a good place, of course, because he tore his ACL and it means he will be out for a year. Being so young and coming to a new country and playing so well in your first game… it’s very hard to take the positive side.
“There’s never a positive side – but you always try to look at a positive side and that is that he is still so young, so he has so many years still to go after he recovers from a terrible injury like that.”
Availability
Mohamed Salah
After featuring off the bench versus Brighton on December 13, the forward is now with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Salah scored in the group games against Zimbabwe and South Africa to help his country reach the last 16. They are next in action on January 5.
Suspensions
Conor Bradley
Bradley is one yellow card away from receiving a one-match suspension in the Champions League.
The Reds travel to Marseille on January 21 for matchday seven of the league phase and then host Qarabag a week later.
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