Liverpool star ruled out of two upcoming matches as official announcement made

Alisson Becker has been left out of Brazil’s squad for the upcoming international break.

The goalkeeper is omitted from Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for friendlies against South Korea and Japan respectively later this month. Alisson suffered a suspected hamstring injury in the Reds’ 1-0 loss against Galatasaray in the Champions League. He was forced off in the 56th minute and replaced by Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot admitted that he was 99.9 per cent sure that Alisson would not be available for the trip to Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday. And it appears that the 31-year-old will indeed be ruled out of the Stamford Bridge encounter.

"When he sprinted back he felt something. I cannot tell you [exactly] because I am not a physio, but normally when a player when he sprints back, feels something, goes to the floor and doesn't come back onto the pitch [it's not good],” said Slot.

"If my player is on the floor, I nine out of 10 times fear the worst – and by the worst I mean he cannot continue. That's what happened with Alisson. Normally, he will not be able to play Saturday. That's 99.9 per cent – I've already said 100 per cent, but let's make it 99.9 [although] I think it's 100."

It remains to be seen when Alisson will be back in contention for Liverpool. After the international break, Slot’s side welcome Manchester United to Anfield on Sunday 19 October.

Liverpool are sweating on the fitness of Hugo Ekitike against Chelsea after the striker was also withdrawn against Galatasaray. Ekitike felt that he had cramp rather than pulling a muscle.

"He felt something when he had to reach for the ball,” added Slot. "I think we all know which one it was when we were trying to force something. I think at that moment in time, on the other side there was someone on the floor as well, so the referee blew his whistle and I wasn't even thinking we had an injury, but Hugo felt something.

"After the game, that's always the difficult thing with these moments when players feel like it is not too bad, but when you just walk around it is something different than when you make a sprint or have to shoot on target. He said he couldn't continue so we had to take him off. Let's see how he is for the weekend."