Kop not alone in injury misery

LIVERPOOL went almost two years without losing at home in the Premier League – now they have lost five in a row at Anfield in just 43 days.

And in that incredible run, they have gone almost 10 hours without a goal from open play.

Those are astonishing stats for a team who were deservedly hailed as one of the Premier League’s best-ever sides only a few months ago.

There are lots of reasons why Liverpool’s defence of the title has crumbled so dramatically and they can lay claim to being the unluckiest team in the top flight with injuries. So far they have been without Virgil van Dijk for 21 games, Joe Gomez for 18, Joel Matip for 15, and Diogo Jota for 15.

Jota’s absence has hurt them almost as much as an injuryravaged back four because he was looking a viable alternative to any of the front three. Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino (above) and Mo Salah have not become bad players, but they look short of confidence, short of rocket thrust and well short of picking the final pass.

Every club has its issues with injuries, but Liverpool are not alone in that regard. Leicester have hit a rocky patch with Caglar Soyuncu, Wilfred Ndidi and Ricardo Pereira missing 39 games between them.

But nobody has suffered more ill fortune in the treatment room than Newcastle United.

Say what you like about their results and style of play, but manager Steve Bruce has had to patch up his team during the lengthy absences of Martin Dubravka, Jamaal Lascelles, Allan Saint-Maximin, Fabian Schar, Federico Fernandez and Ryan Fraser.

Now Bruce faces a spell without top scorer Callum Wilson, and Miguel Almiron as well.

Luck doesn’t define a club’s season but it can play a devastating hand.