Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp confirms major injury blow ahead of Crystal Palace, Arsenal and West Ham fixtures

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has issued an injury update regarding the status of Joel Matip and Alexis Mac Allister following the Reds' 2-0 away win over Sheffield United on Wednesday evening.

Matip has suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which Klopp said he 'expected from the first second' after the player was withdrawn against Fulham on Sunday. ACL injuries can be very serious - as such, Matip could be out of action for some time, though the length of the time he will spend off the pitch is currently unspecified.

Mac Allister, on the other hand, suffered a cut to his knee. Klopp said the wound became 'tighter' as the match progressed, going on to say that he 'couldn't move anymore' after a while. Nevertheless, he is hopeful on how long it will take for him to recover. As things stand, it's unclear as to whether Mac Allister will able to play against Crystal Palace, West Ham or Arsenal in December while Matip is facing the rest of the season on the sidelines.

In the game against the Blades, Liverpool took the lead in the first half thanks to a goal from Virgil Van Dijk. United proved to be a stubborn outfit in their first game under returning manager Chris Wilder, but a late goal Dominik Szoboszlai was enough to seal the deal for the Reds.

What did Jurgen Klopp say about Joel Matip and Alexis Mac Allister?

On the injury sustained by Matip, Klopp said: "It’s an ACL, ruptured, so that’s what I unfortunately expected from the first second. Everything looked like that. Very unfortunate."

Meanwhile, on Mac Allister's injury, Klopp said: "Macca, it was a shame. Early, he stepped on his knee, there was a cut. As long as the wound was open, we just strapped it, obviously it was painful but he could play. Then we stitched it but then obviously it got a bit tighter there and then he couldn’t move [his knee] anymore. Now we have to see how long that will take. I hope not too long."