Liverpool’s defense suffered another tough blow on Tuesday night. En route to UEFA Champions League 2-0 win against FC Midtjylland, The Reds lost versatile Brazilian Fabinho to a hamstring injury.
Fabinho went down towards the end of the first half without contact and was immediately subbed. He was replaced by teenager Rhys Williams, who ended up putting a good effort despite the magnitude of the moment.
Speaking with reporters after the game, Liverpool’s head coach Jurgen Klopp said that the club doesn’t know how long Fabinho will be absent,
“I don’t know. Muscle injuries are like this,” said Klopp, adding that the 27-year-old player is set to undergo further tests on Wednesday.
Despite playing naturally as a defensive midfielder, Fabinho can cover right back and center back positions as well. This proved very useful for Liverpool, as they lost star CB Virgil Van Dijk to a season-ending injury earlier this month.
Now, with both Van Dijk and Fabinho out, and Joel Matip struggling with fitness, Liverpool faces a big challenge to fill holes in their defense. The most likely outcome is that the club pairs Joel Gomez with Williams and hopes for the best. James Milner, who is known for his ability to play all across the field, might also step in if things get tough.
