Arne Slot offers injury update on six Liverpool stars as he teases XI vs Southampton

Liverpool boss Arne Slot will be without Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson for his side’s trip to Southampton on Sunday. The Reds are five points clear at the top of the Premier League table and will be looking to continue their fine run of form on the south coast.

Alisson hasn’t featured since he was forced off with a hamstring issue during Liverpool’s victory over Crystal Palace at the start of October.

Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, is also nursing a hamstring injury after leaving the pitch 25 minutes into his side’s victory over Aston Villa ahead of the international break.

“Alisson? We're careful with everyone when it comes to muscles,” Slot explained in his press conference on Friday morning.

“He is back in training with the goalkeeper coach and he's not training with the team, but that is expected soon. Let’s wait and see where he is in terms of match fitness. [He’s] getting better and better, but he's not ready.

"Trent and Virgil [van Dijk]? I was expecting a different question. Virgil is all good. He trained with us today. Trent is not training yet but he is getting there, we expect him back soon.”

Slot also revealed that Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa are closing in on a return to action and confirmed Harvey Elliott is available for selection.

“Harvey is with us now, he's been out for many weeks but he's with the team now on the pitch,” the Dutchman continued.

“Jota is still the same as Federico, who is coming back into the session after one exercise today. All expected back in a few weeks but the last part of recovery is always the hardest, so let's wait and see.”

He then added: “For next week? We'll have to wait and see because the last week is always tricky because it's isolated to group sessions, so it is difficult to judge. So I cannot say if it will be one or two or three days. Alisson and Jota I don't expect them to be fit for that [Real Madrid] game [next week], Trent, we will see.”

Slot admitted he is having conversations with the medical department to determine which players are ready to perform against Southampton following the final international break of the year.

And the former Feyenoord boss teased his selection for the visit to St Mary’s Stadium by hinting he would take caution over the club’s South American stars Darwin Nunez, Alexis Mac Allister and Luis Diaz as they usually return with jet leg.

“It's a bit of everything, talking to players, the medical and performance staff, listen to technical staff and look at the opponent to see what the best team to select is,” the 46-year-old stated.

“The only difference now is you wonder how the South American players have returned - they normally come back with jet lag. That is the only difference [after the international breaks]. You look at the players and the info from the staff.”