Injury concerns mount ahead of Liverpool-Nottingham Forest clash at Anfield

Both sides have multiple important players confirmed out or facing late fitness tests in the wake of the international break.

Arne Slot's Liverpool side are keen to arrest a patchy run of form that has dropped them to eighth in the table on goal difference, eight points adrift of leaders Arsenal after 11 games played. Their latest setback, a 3-0 loss at Manchester City on November 9, highlighted ongoing vulnerabilities at the back, capping a sequence that includes a shock 0-3 home defeat to Crystal Palace in the League Cup earlier in the month.

A bright spot for the Reds is the anticipated return of goalkeeper Alisson Becker, absent since a 1-0 Champions League defeat to Galatasaray on September 30 due to a hip injury.

Slot confirmed expectations of his availability post-break, stating: "Alisson for sure will be back after the international break, we expect this." His reinstatement will provide a huge boost, with Liverpool conceding heavily during his five-game absence amid a broader stretch of just one win in their last six across all competitions.

Club-record signing Alexander Isak, who arrived from Newcastle in a 125 million pounds deal last summer, is also in line for selection after featuring as an unused substitute against City. The Sweden international has been named in Graham Potter's national squad, with the head coach telling Fotbollskanalen: "Alexander is here. He's feeling well, has no issues." That said, Slot is likely to manage his minutes carefully given Isak's history of fitness setbacks this season.

On the downside, Dutch full-back Jeremie Frimpong remains out with a muscle injury sustained in October, with a return not expected until mid-December at the earliest.

Centre-back Giovanni Leoni's debut campaign was cruelly cut short by an ACL tear suffered in September, while midfielders Stefan Bajcetic and forward Jayden Danns continue to recover from lingering muscle complaints, keeping them sidelined for the foreseeable future.

Over at Nottingham Forest, new head coach Sean Dyche, appointed in late October following Ange Postecoglou's dismissal, hopes to have forwards Chris Wood and Callum Hudson-Odoi back in action after minor knocks. The pair sat out Forest's morale-boosting 3-1 comeback win over Leeds United on November 9, but Dyche hinted at progress last week: "Maybe after the Leeds game there's a stronger chance."

That said, Dyche's options remain limited. Midfielder Douglas Luiz is sidelined with a hamstring strain that the manager has labeled "not likely to be a quick situation," potentially ruling him out for several weeks. Full-back Ola Aina and backup goalkeeper Angus Gunn are also unavailable, the latter nursing a knee problem picked up in training last month.

Versatile defender Oleksandr Zinchenko is a significant doubt after tweaking a groin in late October, having missed the last four matches as a result.

Winger Dilane Bakwa, meanwhile, has been absent for the past six outings due to a muscle injury, though he is targeting a late-November comeback, no firm date has been set.

With Liverpool aiming to claw their way back into the top-four conversation and Forest desperate to build on their recent upturn to escape the relegation scrap after a testing start under multiple managers, both camps will be praying for clean bills of health before the Anfield visit.

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