Liverpool has suffered a huge injury setback as Harvey Elliott fractured his foot during the international break, according to sources.
The Reds have enjoyed an almost flawless start to the season under Arne Slot, winning all three games without conceding a goal and currently sitting second in the Premier League rankings.
They will face Nottingham Forest at Anfield on Saturday, but will be missing one of their attacking players due to injury.
Elliott, who shined under Jurgen Klopp at the conclusion of last season, fractured his foot while on international duty with England’s Under-21 side, according to The Telegraph.
The news comes as a big blow to Liverpool, whose calendar is about to get busier as the Champions League begins.
Liverpool has suffered an injury blow, with Harvey Elliott apparently fracturing his foot on international duty.
Elliott had joined up with the England Under-21s squad, but he did not feature in either match over the break.
He has just played seven minutes of action for Arne Slot’s Liverpool this season, but his game time is anticipated to improve.
Elliott did not play in either of the Young Lions’ two games over the break, a 0-0 draw with Northern Ireland and a 4-1 victory over Austria.
He is expected to return to action during the next international break, with Liverpool scheduled to host Chelsea on October 20.
He has yet to start a game for Liverpool this season, having played only seven minutes in a 2-0 win over Brentford.
However, his playing time was expected to rise with the Champions League starting next week and Liverpool facing AC Milan.
They must now find ways to fill the vacuum left by Eliott’s absence, with the 21-year-old scheduled to miss two European games, four Premier League fixtures, and a Carabao Cup tie.
Liverpool will play Forest on Saturday and Milan on Tuesday before another Saturday game against Bournemouth.
They will then host West Ham in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday before facing Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Reds then have a Champions League meeting against Bologna scheduled before travelling to Crystal Palace on Saturday for their penultimate game before the next break.
Slot’s side has a hard schedule coming up, which includes league, Champions League, and Carabao Cup encounters.
Slot has won all three of his games as Liverpool manager without allowing any goals.
Liverpool is also presently without Curtis Jones due to injury, leaving Slot with little options in midfield.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis MacAllister have done much of the hard lifting in that area this season, while Ryan Gravenberch has thrived in a more defensive role.