Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has delivered a mixed injury update on three players ahead of the Reds' Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
The Merseyside giants welcome Nuno Espirito Santo's men to Anfield aiming to prolong their perfect start to the 2024-25 Premier League season, having beaten Ipswich Town, Brentford and Manchester United thus far.
However, Liverpool did not come out of the international break unscathed, as Harvey Elliott reportedly suffered a foot fracture while on England Under-21s duty, which will sideline him until October.
Meanwhile, Alexis Mac Allister sustained a knock while playing for Argentina, although the midfielder rapidly recovered in time to make a substitute appearance in his country's next game against Colombia.
Liverpool did not release an official statement confirming Elliott's injury, but Slot confirmed that the 21-year-old would be sidelined for a while, labelling his layoff a blow for both player and club at this busy stage.
Slot optimistic of Mac Allister availability as Elliott diagnosis confirmed
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"Harvey is of course a big disappointment for him but not only for him, also for us because OK, he didn't play that much in the first three games but he played a lot in pre-season and he showed himself really well so, of course, if he had stayed fit he would have had a lot of playing time in the upcoming fixtures.
But now he isn't [fit] and that also gives the chance to someone else. So it is, first and foremost, a blow for himself, and then also for us because I think availability is important in the stage of the season when we play seven games in 22 days, I think.
"So, it's a blow for the both of us but he will work as hard as always to come back in the best possible way. He didn't stay fit unfortunately so he is out for a longer time."
On a brighter note, the Dutchman confirmed that Mac Allister had trained with the team since returning from South America and is in line to start the clash with the Garibaldi this weekend.
"He was out in the last game [Mac Allister came off the bench for Argentina on Tuesday night] but he trained with us yesterday. I'm expecting Macca to be with us tomorrow," Slot added.
Could Federico Chiesa make his Liverpool debut this weekend?
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Liverpool's 3-0 win over Manchester United two weekends ago came too soon for Federico Chiesa to make his first-team debut, as Slot revealed that he would exercise caution over the winger's fitness given his recent lack of football.
The ex-Feyenoord manager refused to give much away surrounding Chiesa's hopes of featuring against Forest, but he suggested that he would select players who were in a better place with their fitness despite the fact that the Italian has been integrated into training.
"Federico has trained with the team now three or four times so let's see how he does today and which decision I make because we have more than 20 players, for if I choose for a position or if I choose the ones that are the fittest at the moment," Slot said.
Liverpool's only other concern for Saturday's game is midfielder Curtis Jones, who has been nursing a groin problem for the past couple of weeks, but there was no update on his condition.
The Reds sit second in the Premier League table after three games in the 2024-25 season, only behind reigning champions Manchester City on goals scored.
Ben Knapton
