Fabinho set to miss Liverpool’s crucial clash with Manchester City after pulling out of Brazil squad
Fabinho has pulled out of Brazil‘s next’s national team squad which almost certainly rules him out of Liverpool‘s Premier League clash with Manchester City next weekend.
The 27-year-old injured his thigh during the Reds’ Champions League win over FC Midtjylland on Tuesday and was replaced by defender Rhys Williams in the first-half at Anfield.
The injury is a blow to Jurgen Klopp’s side – who already have Virgil van Dijk out for most of this season with an ankle ligament problem – and Brazil have called up Everton midfielder Allan for their November fixtures in place of Fabinho.
Fabinho has pulled out of Brazil’s November fixtures due to a thigh injury picked up this week
The midfielder limped out of the Reds’ Champions League win FC Midtjylland on Tuesday
A statement from the Brazil FA said: ‘(The) doctor of the Brazilian National Team received the necessary tests and information from Liverpool’s medical department that confirmed Fabinho’s impossibility of participation in the next period in which the National Team will meet.’
Brazil face Venezuela and Uruguay in the November fixtures, with El Selecao’s training camp beginning on November 9.
Klopp’s Premier League champions host West Ham on Saturday before travelling to Manchester City eight days later as they look to extend their early season gap over Pep Guardiola’s side.
City lie five points behind the Reds after an unusually slow start to the campaign – with the Manchester club looking to win back the trophy that Liverpool took off them last season.
Everton midfielder Allan (above) has replaced Fabinho in the Brazilian national team squad
Klopp’s side visit Man City before the international break in a match with Fabinho could miss
Fabinho was covering in central defence for the injured van Dijk, who was on the wrong end of a rough challenge from Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the Merseyside Derby earlier this month.
Liverpool also have Joel Matip struggling with injury and Klopp revealed he is a major doubt for Saturday’s game with the Hammers.
And Klopp claimed in his midweek post-match interview that youngsters Williams, Nathaniel Phillips and Billy Koumetio have suddenly come into serious starting contention for the first team.
Defender Rhys Williams (above) is likely to start Liverpool’s clash with West Ham on Saturday
Liverpool have Virgil van Dijk (right) out for most of the season with ankle ligament damage
Teenage defender Williams, who helped Liverpool keep a clean sheet on Tuesday night, was playing non-league football with Kidderminster Harriers last season and has made just four senior appearances for the Reds.
Speaking about the 19-year-old on Tuesday, Klopp said: ‘He did really well. The only problem we have now is we have four days to the West Ham game and you will make every day a story of him and then he has to prove he can deal with that as well, because the vibe was calm around him.
‘We have very young and inexperienced alternatives, and at the moment it looks like we have to choose one of them.
‘I don’t know yet – but to be really clear and positive, Rhys was not in one situation tonight our problem, he played a really good game.’
