With their first chance to progress in the Carabao Cup as they look to retain their crown, Liverpool will be forced to do so without one of Arne Slot’s best players against West Ham United.

Liverpool injury news

The Reds ensured that their shock 1-0 defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest was nothing more than a blip after winning comfortably at the San Siro before easing past Bournemouth upon their return to the Premier League and Anfield. Slot’s side were as clinical as ever, with Luis Diaz continuing his excellent start to the campaign by netting a brace and Darwin Nunez capping things off in style with a superb first goal of the season.

The Reds also continued their trend of solid defensive displays, keeping a fourth clean sheet in five league games in a run that has seen Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate return to their best at the back together. Even with Caoimhin Kelleher stepping in behind them, the defensive duo stuck to their task to extend a run of conceding just one Premier League goal all season.

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Kelleher, of course, was forced to come in for Alisson Becker following the Brazilian’s injury in the build-up, which is set to rule him out for at least one more game.

As relayed by Fabrizio Romano, Slot confirmed that Alisson will miss tonight’s game against West Ham in the Carabao Cup and is also a doubt against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League this weekend. That would put the former Yashin Trophy winner’s return date a week away against Bologna in the Champions League on October 2, or possibly even the following weekend against Crystal Palace if they deem the European clash a risk not worth taking.

Kelleher, however, will have no trouble filling in for Alisson in a competition that is very much his show at Liverpool, given just how consistent the Irishman was as the Reds secured cup victory last season.

"Smart" Alisson is a difficult man to replace

Whilst Kelleher deserves incredible praise for how he often steps in and replaces Alisson, there’s no doubt that Liverpool will find it almost impossible to find a like-for-like number one to eventually replace the Brazilian.

Giorgi Mamardashvili, who signed for the Reds in the summer before heading back out on loan to Valencia, will try his best and may yet have his own place in Anfield folklore, but he – like many – will likely always find himself behind Alisson in the history books.

The Liverpool number one has done it all in Merseyside, from winning Golden Gloves, Premier League titles and Champions League trophies to scoring a last-gasp winner to revive Liverpool’s top four hopes in 2021. To replace the £150,000-a-week shot-stopper represents one of the most difficult tasks that Liverpool will have.