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Before he arrived at Liverpool, Adam Lallana rarely missed a minute for Southampton. In eight seasons with the Saints, the midfielder missed a mere 12 games and a little more than two months of action. Last season at Anfield, he missed nearly three months and 13 games. And now, reports have him picking up a thigh injury and set to miss another three to four weeks.
The upside for Liverpool is that new summer signing Roberto Firmino, who many had already tabbed to start tonight, should walk straight into the starting eleven. With Jordon Ibe and Philippe Coutinho both available, it means Brendan Rodgers won’t even have to change the tactics if he doesn’t want to—though against the Gunners, many are hoping for three at the base of midfield.
That, though, could be complicated by Liverpool’s other injury, as captain Jordan Henderson remains a doubt to face Arsenal. It would seem to leave Rodgers with only two central midfielders fit and favoured, as with Joe Allen also injured and Lucas Levia on the chopping block, there could be only James Milner and Emre Can to fill the midfield roles at the Emirates tonight.
With key injuries at two positions, though, what had a month ago looked the deepest squad available to any Liverpool manager in the Premier League era has through injury and personnel decisions found itself on the edge of a genuine crisis.
