With the vast majority of Liverpool’s squad set to join up with their nations for the September international break, we run through the 16 players who will be staying put this month.
In total, there are 28 players who have international commitments in September, with 12 of those coming from Jurgen Klopp‘s first-team squad.
With this weekend’s scheduled encounter with Chelsea postponed, Liverpool’s next game isn’t due to take place until October 1, when Brighton will visit Anfield.
Seven of the 16 players who haven’t been selected to represent their country’s are injured. Caoimhin Kelleher is nearing a return to full fitness, but wasn’t deemed ready for Ireland’s Nations League ties with Scotland and Armenia.
Ibrahima Konate made his France debut in June, but is not included in Didier Deschamps’ final squad before the World Cup as he continues to recover from a knee injury. Earlier this month, Klopp said he was hopeful the centre-back would return after the latest international break.
Scotsmen Andy Robertson and Calvin Ramsay remain out, with the former missing Tuesday’s win over Ajax due to a knee injury and Klopp saying he will not return until “after the international break at least.”
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is likely to return after the break, having missed the last three matches with a hamstring injury, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is still a way off a return to fitness, and Curtis Jones hasn’t been included in England’s under-21 squad due to an ongoing calf issue.
Elsewhere, despite his return to fitness, there’s no Thiago in Spain’s squad to face Switzerland and Portugal, which Klopp certainly won’t be complaining about!
Fabio Carvalho is another who hasn’t been selected for international duty, despite impressing for Portugal under-21s earlier this year.
Joe Gomez has featured heavily for Liverpool this season, but isn’t included in England’s latest squad, while Adrian, Nat Phillips, Arthur and Stefan Bajcetic will also be staying put over the next two weeks.
The same can be said of Joel Matip and James Milner, who no longer partake in international duty.
Naby Keita was named in Guinea’s squad to play Algeria and Ivory Coast later this month, but is not expected to to feature, with Klopp making clear that he was still recovering from injury earlier this month.
However, as of yet, there’s been no communication from the Guinea FA that the midfielder will not be involved.
Disappointment for some players who have been overlooked, but from Liverpool’s perspective, some valuable time for players to rest and recover ahead of the club’s busy pre-World Cup schedule.
Liverpool players not on international duty in September
Injured: Kelleher, Konate, Robertson, Ramsay, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones
Not selected: Adrian, Gomez, Phillips, Thiago, Arthur, Bajcetic, Carvalho
Retired: Matip, Milner
