Jurgen Klopp confirms Joel Matip ACL tear and fresh Alexis Mac Allister blow

Joel Matip, a Cameroonian center back, will be sidelined for the remainder of the season due to an ACL rupture, according to confirmation from Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
After Matip was substituted off the field during the second half of Anfield’s 4-3 victory over Fulham over the weekend, Klopp immediately acknowledged that the 32-year-old’s injury looked serious.

When Klopp addressed the media on Tuesday, the Reds still hadn’t received the results of Matip’s scans, but rumors suggested that he would miss several months due to ligament damage.

Speaking to the media after Sheffield United’s 2-0 victory on Wednesday, Klopp revealed the devastating news that Matip had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear, which was exactly what he had feared.

“Unfortunately, I anticipated that it would be an ACL rupture from the outset. That was how everything appeared. Extremely regrettable,” the Liverpool manager affirmed.

Matip’s recuperation has not yet been given a timetable by Liverpool, but it is unlikely that he will play again this season and this may be his last game wearing a Reds uniform.

Matip’s contract expires at the end of the 2023–24 campaign, but because of Ibrahima Konate’s personal injury issues, he has forced his way back into Klopp’s Premier League starting lineup this year.

Because of this, it is said that Klopp wants to keep Matip on board and is pressing the team to give the former Cameroonian international, who has made 201 appearances for the team since joining on a free transfer in 2016, a contract extension.

Thiago Alcantara (hip), Andrew Robertson (shoulder), and Stefan Bajcetic (calf), three other long-term absentees, have welcomed Matip into the treatment room. The latter two, however, plan to return at some point in January.

Alisson Becker (thigh) and Diogo Jota (muscle) may also return around Christmas time, but Alexis Mac Allister has presented the Reds with yet another injury worry.

In the first half of Wednesday’s match at Bramall Lane, the Argentine World Cup winner persevered despite a knee injury, but he was forced to be substituted shortly before the hour mark.

It was a shame, Macca. He stepped on his knee early, cutting it. Klopp stated, “We just strapped it as long as the wound was open. It was obviously painful, but he could play.”

After we stitched it, it became somewhat tighter there, which is why he was unable to move after that. We now need to wait and see how long that takes. Hopefully not for too long.”

Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai scored goals either side of halftime to help Liverpool defeat Sheffield United 2-0 on Wednesday, ruining Chris Wilder’s return to the Blades bench.

The Reds are back in action on Saturday lunchtime when they host Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the early kickoff. They are currently only two points behind leaders Arsenal in the table.