Footage has emerged of Joel Matip visiting a hospital, suggesting the Liverpool’s centre-back may have suffered an injury over the weekend.
The Reds are already suffering a defensive crisis after Virgil van Dijk was ruled out for most of the season with cruciate ligament damage, following a tackle on him by Jordan Pickford on Saturday.
It means Matip and Joe Gomez are the only recognised, experienced centre-backs at Jurgen Klopp’s disposal, ahead of a relentless run of fixtures.
A video posted by @exLFCemployee03 on Twitter on Monday shows Matip entering a hospital, however, which is sure to strike fear into Liverpool supporters.
The Cameroonian has been an injury-prone figure for the Reds since joining from Schalke in 2016, but they desperately need him to stay fit for a sustained period now.
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It is worth stressing that there is no proof that the footage is brand-new, although the fact that Matip is in a mask, and the weather looks autumnal, does suggest it is recent.
The hope is that he was simply visiting someone, or undergoing a routine check-up, rather than facing yet another spell out of the side.
Matip played well in the 2-2 draw at Everton on Saturday, and looks more in-form than Joe Gomez currently.
He is going to be a big player in the absence of Van Dijk, marshalling the troops alongside Gomez or Fabinho, with the latter doing well in defence in the past.