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• Alisson Becker injury ‘not as bad’ as Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp first feared

  Injury has ruled out Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker for more than a fortnight but manager Jurgen Klopp admits it could have been worse and the Brazilian should be fit to face Manchester United next month.

  The keeper appeared to sustain a hamstring problem late in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Manchester City and although he managed to complete the match he is set to miss the next five matches – two of which he would not have played in as Caoimhin Kelleher deputises in the Europa League.

  Alisson will miss European ties against LASK and Union Saint-Gilloise as well as Premier League games against Fulham, Sheffield United and Crystal Palace but should make a timely return for the visit of their arch-rivals on December 17.

  Forward Diogo Jota was also injured in City game but his prognosis is not as good.

  “Both are out. Ali is a bit lesser, so we have to see. Not day by day – he cannot play tomorrow or Sunday. Probably not the week after should be kind of OK,” Klopp said ahead of the Europa League visit of LASK.

  “Alisson is not as bad (as we thought) but still bad enough. Diogo will take a little bit longer, don’t know exactly. Have to see.”

  Kelleher has made only five appearances this season but last played back-to-back matches in January 2022 and has never played more than three matches in a row in his Liverpool career.

  In the summer there was speculation about the 25-year-old wanting to seek first-team football elsewhere but Klopp said the current situation was exactly why the Republic of Ireland international was persuaded to stay.

  “Yes, that’s pretty much exactly it. That’s why we knew we wanted to have Caoimh here for these moments,” added the Liverpool boss.

  “Nobody, Caoimh as well, wanted Ali to get injured, but if these things happen then you need the strongest possible option and that’s Caoimh for us.

  “That’s the only positive about that, to be honest, that we can put in Caoimh. That’s fine.

  “Now he gets an opportunity that he deserves, he would have played tomorrow night anyway, that’s clear, but now he will have a few more games and hopefully he can show his full potential.”

  Defeat in Toulouse earlier this month made Liverpool’s task of guaranteeing top spot in the group – and thereby avoiding a play-off round in the knockout stages – slightly more difficult but it could be secured on Thursday at home to LASK if Union Saint-Gilloise beat the second-placed Ligue 1 side.

  But Klopp rejected the suggestion that result was a reminder that his much-changed European sides have standards to maintain.

  “It was not needed but it wasn’t helpful. It was three weeks ago and a lot of things happened since then. It just made the situation more difficult, that’s how it is,” he said.

  “Toulouse was maybe a one-off performance-wise – it was around Luton (a 1-1 draw) which was not too great either – but this was in a very short period of time.

  “Besides that the boys usually perform and that’s what we should concentrate on.

  “We want to win tomorrow night and we want to win in Belgium as well but if we don’t win tomorrow night the game in Belgium, in a super intense period, will be tough so it’s all about performing tomorrow night and really going for it, that’s the idea.”

• Girlz seek positive result in crucial tie against Panama

  Interim Reggae Girlz Head Coach Xavier Gilbert is well aware of the need for his players not only maintain their focus, but also to execute efficiently and consistently for the next over 180-plus minutes, if they are to achieve the desired results in two must-win Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup qualifying fixtures.

  The first will be against a gritty Panama outfit that will be riding high on the fact that they defeated the Jamaicans 2-1 in their first meeting and, more importantly, hold pole position in Group B on six points, which means they only need a point at the National Stadium on Wednesday.

  Kickoff is at 7:00pm.

  For Gilbert and his Girlz, who sit at the foot of the three-team table on a point, the objective is pretty straightforward –win and they are into the group stages of next year’s Concacaf Women’s Gold Cup.

  But the tactician is well aware that it is much easier said than done and, as such, is cautiously optimistic about his team’s chances of taking three points at home, before visiting second-placed Guatemala (four points) away, on Sunday.

  “We had three good sessions, and things went well, one player joined us let, but apart from that, all the players have settled in well. They know what is at stake, and you can tell by the mood in the camp that they are ready to give it their best shot,” Gilbert told SportsMax.TV.

  “They have responded well to our request in terms of adjustment to the system of play, which is good, so what we did, was use the final session (on Tuesday) to tighten up on a few things and areas in which believe we need to strengthen. So, I am optimistic that once they execute how we want them to, we will come out with a positive result,” he added.

  Should the Reggae Girlz defeat Panama, it would mean all three teams in the group, could take the top spot, and the outcome would rely on Sunday’s clash between Guatemala and the Jamaicans.

  While finishing tops is the priority, the second-placed team would also have a second shot at Gold Cup qualification, as they would enter the preliminary phase of the tournament to oppose to group winners from League’s B and C.

  That means, the Girlz could draw with Panama and then beat Guatemala to book the runner-up spot. But, that is no comfort to Gilbert, who is hoping to get the job done the right way.

  “The game was a couple of weeks ago. This is a different situation and different circumstances. There is some unrest in their country, I am not sure if that has affected them mentally on this occasion, but we just have to be on our A game,” Gilbert said as he reflected on their away loss to Panama.

  “We have to be better than what we were in the last game, and I am sure Panama is also looking to do better, so it's going to be extremely tough for us. Obviously, we've looked at a few things that we're looking to implement as we look to impose more of our will on the game,” he noted.

  Gilbert, who is still without his World Cup players due to a prolonged standoff with the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), is making do with a squad that boasts more youth than experience –2019 World Cup veterans Chinyelu Asher and Marlo Sweatman being the experience.

  Still, the likes of Ricshya Walker, Melissa Johnson and Zoe Vidaurre, who all scored in the last window, are very much capable of doing more damage.

  Panama will turn to their core group of playmakers in Riley Tanner, Marta Cox and Lineth Cedeno to get the job done, and Gilbert is very much wary of that and is aiming to nullify the trio.

  “We are still working to finalize the best 11, so far, we are close to it, but there are still some other pieces to put in place. But the overall expectation heading into the game is to make sure that we get something out of it, which is our objective, and then we will see how it goes,” Gilbert ended.

• Manchester United’s Millie Turner buzzing after ‘quite unexpected’ England call

  Millie Turner is relishing being in the England fold again after a call-up she says was “quite unexpected”.

  Manchester United defender Turner, whose previous Lionesses involvement came as part of a training camp in 2020 under Phil Neville, was called up by Sarina Wiegman last week as a replacement for the injured Millie Bright.

  While it came as quite a surprise to the 27-year-old, it is something she says her father had told her he had “had a feeling” about.

  Regarding the phone call she received from Wiegman, Turner told a press conference: “It was very exciting, and quite unexpected, to be fair.

  “I remember I was sat at home and she rang me and I just tried to play it quite cool when she told me that she was calling me up, but after the phone call ended I was so buzzing.

  “I rang my family, rang my Dad, and he said he was just so proud of me. It was a big moment for me and my family.

  “I think my neighbours at the start were hating me because I was jumping around my house! But my Dad, I just remember him saying ‘Mill, I’m so proud of you’, and he said he had a feeling to be honest that I’d get called into this camp, so I think he’s been talking it into reality.

  “For me, it’s all I’ve ever dreamed of, all I’ve ever hoped of – it’s just been such a big ambition for me to play for my country.”

  Turner now has the possibility of making her senior international debut at Wembley.

  England face the Netherlands at the national stadium on Friday in the first of their final two Nations League group games, with a clash against Scotland at Hampden Park following four days later.

  Wilmslow-born Turner, who said she has around six family members coming down for the game on Friday, added: “(To make England bow at Wembley) would be incredibly special.

  “Just to be part of this team is such a great honour and to be able to put that shirt on and even to play at Wembley would be incredible.”

  European champions and World Cup runners-up England, third in Nations League Group A1, must beat leaders the Netherlands to stay in contention for top spot, the final position they need to have a chance to secure Paris 2024 Olympics qualification for Great Britain.

  Turner said: “I think it’s going to be a massive game. But the Lionesses, we’re incredible, the way we have performed and come over every single barrier and come out of it really strongly. I think it’ll be a very good game to watch.

  “The mentality never changes. We all fight and want to give absolutely everything that we can for our country – and I think it’s quite a good position to be in, because we’re ready to fight and ready to put on a performance.”