With Alisson doubtful for Liverpool’s clash with Bournemouth, the goalkeeper’s injury record does not compare favourably to his Premier League peers.
Ahead of the visit of Bournemouth to Anfield, Arne Slot revealed that Alisson was considered a doubt after picking up a muscle issue.
“We wonder if this game is coming too early or not,” the head coach told reporters on Friday.
“I think he didn’t take it from the Milan game, it happened a bit before, but after he felt more and more.
“Now we have to wait and see if he’s ready to be in goal tomorrow or we have to wait a few extra days.”
The suggestion is that the injury, believed to be a tight hamstring, came either during Brazil duty or in the aftermath of a long journey back from South America.
Either way, it is another issue for Liverpool to contend with when it comes to their No. 1, with Caoimhin Kelleher on hand to deputise having done so on 26 occasions last season.
Concerns over Alisson‘s injury history are warranted, with statistics via Transfermarkt showing that no other top Premier League goalkeeper has a worse record than the 31-year-old.
Games missed for club in last five seasons
- Alisson (Liverpool) – 40 – 6 injuries, 4 illnesses
- Ederson (Man City) – 17 – 4 injuries, 3 illnesses
- Emi Martinez (Aston Villa) – 1 – 1 injury
- David Raya (Arsenal) – 19 – 1 injury
- Andre Onana (Man United) – 8 – 2 injuries
- Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham) – 7 – 1 injury
- Robert Sanchez (Chelsea) – 32 – 3 injuries, 1 illnesses
- Nick Pope (Newcastle) – 34 – 5 injuries, 1 illnesses
- Jordan Pickford (Everton) – 11 – 3 injuries
Alisson has missed a total of 40 games for Liverpool over the previous five seasons, with six different injuries and four illnesses.
The next-closest is Nick Pope, who missed 34 games for Burnley and Newcastle, with five injuries and one illness, while Robert Sanchez missed 32 games with three injuries and one illness over spells with Rochdale, Brighton and now Chelsea.
Man City‘s Ederson has suffered four injuries and three illnesses but only missed 17 games, while Arsenal‘s David Raya has missed 19 games but through just one serious injury.
Remarkably, Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez has only missed one game through injury since 2019/20, though he has only been a regular starter in the past four seasons.
Similarly strong are the injury records of Man United‘s Andre Onana, Tottenham‘s Guglielmo Vicario and Everton‘s Jordan Pickford.
While goalkeepers are still susceptible to fitness issues – and of course, illness – it is worrying how often Alisson finds himself sidelined.
That is particularly the case given an increase in muscle injuries in recent years, and particularly his hamstrings.
Liverpool have already signed his eventual replacement in Giorgi Mamardashvili, who will join Slot’s squad next season after a final campaign with Valencia.
But Alisson has expressed his desire to fulfil his current contract, which runs until 2026 with an option to extend by a further year, or even sign new terms beyond that.
While he remains arguably the best goalkeeper in world football, Alisson‘s injury history will undoubtedly have been considered as Liverpool sought to sign Mamardashvili in a deal worth £29 million.
And it could be factored into plans moving forward, with it clear that his record is abnormal among goalkeepers.
