Arsenal title rivals suffer blow as £25 million star sustains ANOTHER injury

There is bad news for Liverpool supporters in the wake of their 3-1 defeat against Arsenal at the weekend - the Gunners' title rivals have seen experienced playmaker Thiago Alcantara ruled out with an injury once again, according to The Guardian.

The game against Arsenal marked his return to the senior team following hip surgery, as he was brought on in the 85th minute for Joe Gomez for his first appearance of the 2023/24 season. In a bout of desperately bad luck, he suffered a muscle injury during his cameo appearance and will now spend yet another spell on Liverpool's treatment table.

How long is Liverpool's Thiago Alcantara expected to be out with injury for?

Currently, the severity of Thiago's injury is unclear - though it is not thought to be related to his recent surgery. Nevertheless, it is a bad sign - especially as his contract with the Reds is due to expire at the end of the 2023/24 Premier League season. Regardless of the severity of his injury, though, it should be noted that Liverpool have been performing very well in the Spaniard's absence.

Before he was brought on in the game against Arsenal at the weekend, Thiago's last competitive outing came all the way back in April, where Liverpool defeated West Ham United by a score of 2-1. This season, which he has played almost no part in, the Reds are enjoying a brilliant campaign and are currently at the top of the Premier League table.

As such, while it is never ideal to have a player unavailable selection, it may not be such a bitter blow to Liverpool fans due to how little they need Thiago at this point. With players such as Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch now ruling the roost, the 32-year-old's importance to the team has plummeted over the last couple of years.