Liverpool have been hit by a fresh injury blow on the eve of their Champions League fixture away to Fenerbahce.
The Reds are due to fly to Istanbul today for their fourth European fixture of the season, in which they'll come up against a former Anfield idol in Dirk Kuyt , who's in interim charge of the Turkish Super Lig outfit.
While Andoni Iraola was able to welcome back Dominik Szoboszlai and Victor Munoz for the defeat to Arsenal at the weekend, his squad for the game on Wednesday has been lessened by a new absentee.
On Tuesday morning, Liverpool FC confirmed on their official website that Ryan Gravenberch has been ruled out of the match against Fenerbahce due to a heel injury.
The 24-year-old – who was an unused substitute against Arsenal – won't travel with his teammates to Istanbul and will instead remain at the AXA Training Centre to undergo treatment with the Reds' medical staff.
(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
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The Dutchman's absence for the trip to Turkiye comes as a setback to Liverpool for what'll be a true test of character in the hotbed that is the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium.
The midfielder might've had a difficult outing against Chelsea last week, needlessly giving away a penalty in the first half and then fluffing his lines in the shootout later that night, but he's still a hugely important presence in Iraola's squad and will be missed tomorrow evening.
The timeline for a return to action is unclear at present, although the head coach will almost certainly be prompted for an update on the 24-year-old when he addresses the media in his pre-match press conference this afternoon.
In the absence of Gravenberch, we could well see Trey Nyoni keeping his starting berth in midfield alongside Alexis Mac Allister, with the duo putting in solid performances on Sunday despite the result against Arsenal.
If that engine room axis is maintained in Istanbul, hopefully the pair can maintain the high standards they've shown recently, and fingers crossed for a swift recovery for the Netherlands international as he watches on from Merseyside.
