Alisson Becker's body failed him once again during Liverpool's 1-0 Premier League win over Crystal Palace on Saturday lunchtime, as the Brazilian was forced off in the second half with a suspected hamstring problem.
The furious 32-year-old dropped to the floor immediately after kicking the ball out for a Palace throw-in, and he was clearly feeling the back of his thigh before being replaced by Liverpool debutant Vitezslav Jaros.
Alisson has been plagued by increasing injuries in recent seasons, memorably spending two months out with a thigh concern last term, and Arne Slot does not anticipate an imminent return for the goalkeeper.
Giving an injury update to reporters in his post-game press conference, Slot said: "The latest is that we don't know but what we do know is that if a player walks off like he did, that normally means that he is not in the Brazil squad and I don't expect him to be in the team in the first game we play after [the international break].
"We have to wait and see, but it is going to take a few weeks I assume for him to be back. I think it is [his hamstring]."
While Liverpool are yet to confirm the severity of Alisson's problem, reports have claimed that he will be sidelined until after the November international break, ruling him out of a batch of crucial domestic fixtures.
Here, Sports Mole looks at which games Alisson could miss with his latest hamstring injury.
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The beating of Palace would not have been the worst time for Alisson to pick up a minor injury, as Liverpool fans would have likely been grateful to see him rested over the international period before being back fit again in a fortnight.
However, as well as sitting out Brazil's imminent World Cup qualifiers with Chile and Peru, Alisson will likely miss as many as seven Liverpool matches, including some blockbuster affairs in the Premier League and Champions League.
Slot admitted straight away that Alisson should not be available for Liverpool's first game back after the break, which is a big one at home to Chelsea on October 20, three days before a taxing trip to Bundesliga high-flyers RB Leipzig in the Champions League.
The Halloween period is an especially hectic one for Liverpool, who then take on Premier League title rivals Arsenal at the Emirates on October 27, and a double-header with Brighton & Hove Albion follows the trip to North London.
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Alisson was never likely to start the EFL Cup clash with the Seagulls on October 30, but he would have been in goal for the Premier League showdown on November 2, and the trip to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on November 5 will also come too soon.
Liverpool's final game before the international break is another crunch clash - at home to Aston Villa on November 9 - and it also seems that he will not be fit for Brazil's last games of 2024 against Venezuela (November 14) and Uruguay (November 19) also remains to be seen.
Should Alisson manage to get back up to full fitness during the November international break, the South American could return for the Premier League clash with Southampton on November 24 or the latest reunion with Real Madrid in the Champions League on November 27 - the latter meeting also comes four days before a mouthwatering top-flight clash with Manchester City.
Until then, number two Caoimhin Kelleher - absent from the squad to face Palace due to sickness - or recent debutant Jaros will be tasked with filling some massive gloves in some massive games for the next few weeks.
Ben Knapton
