Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson will be suspended for the Premier League meeting with Chelsea on 2 January after the Reds' Boxing Day clash with Leeds was postponed.
Alongside Watford's fixture against Wolves, Liverpool vs Leeds was called off on Thursday because of ongoing Covid-19 problems, with Marcelo Bielsa's side ravaged by both injury and illness and unable to train during the week as a result.
Robertson is serving a three-match suspension following his straight red card against Tottenham at the weekend. He missed Wednesday's Carabao Cup victory over Leicester and was scheduled to sit out his second game against Leeds, before rounding out his suspension in a Premier League game against Brendan Rodgers' side on 28 December.
However, with the Leeds game now called off until a later date, Robertson's suspension will roll over and rule him out of the trip to Stamford Bridge on 2 January.
It's obviously an enormous blow for Liverpool and manager Jurgen Klopp, who knows the importance of the trip to Chelsea in the context of the title race.
In Robertson's place, it will be Kostas Tsimikas who fills in at left-back.
Tsimikas has 13 appearances to his name this season, including three starts in his side's final three Champions League group games. He was also hugely impressive in the opening weeks of the campaign when Robertson was sidelined through injury.
Based on current form, who would you want in your team?
— 90min (@90min_Football) December 23, 2021
Welcome To World Class | #W2WC21
Klopp is waiting for official confirmation that star forwards Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane will be available for the Chelsea game, with both set to jet off for the African Cup of Nations next month.
Reports from Egypt have claimed that Liverpool have been granted permission to release Salah late, with the winger supposedly free to take on Chelsea before jetting off to join up with his national team a few days late.
Source : 90min