The Liverpool manager has provided an update on the status of goalkeeper Alisson Becker, noting that he has still not been cleared from concussion protocol.
Liverpool supporters were hopeful to see the return of Alisson Becker in net when the Reds faced off against Fulham on Sunday. The Brazilian goalkeeper had been sidelined with a concussion sustained after a collision with Colombia’s Davidson Sanchez while on international duty.
Alisson was recovered enough to begin training last week ahead of the Fulham match. Unfortunately, he was not cleared prior to the match, leaving Caoimhín Kelleher to deputize for the second match in a row as Liverpool fell 3-2 to the Cottagers. After the match, Arne Sot was asked by BBC Sport about the status of Alisson.
“Yes, he did [not pass the concussion protocol]. There’s a week to go [until the next match] so that gives us a bit of time. But you know as Liverpool we always follow the protocol in moments like this when it’s a concussion. If you haven’t ticked all the boxes, he can’t be in goal. He wants it a lot but the protocol is the protocol.”
It seems that Alisson was very close to being in contention at the weekend, so hopefully he will continue to progress. Next Sunday’s match against West Ham will be just over three full weeks from the date Alisson sustained the concussion, which is the FA’s recommended timeline for a regular return to play.