Liverpool faces injury nightmare ahead of Manchester summit

Liverpool are experiencing increasing anxiety after Dutch coach Arne Slot narrowly escaped a new injury crisis that threatened to devastate the team's defense, ahead of Sunday's eagerly awaited Premier League clash with Manchester United . The Reds' injury list has been on the rise in recent weeks, while the international break has failed to alleviate the absences. The team entered the international break without goalkeeper Alisson Becker and Italian defender Giovanni Leone, who are both suffering from long-term injuries . Alisson tore his hamstring against Galatasaray and is expected to be out until the November international break, while Leone lost his entire season after suffering a serious cruciate ligament injury on his debut against Southampton . Although Liverpool have a strong back-up in goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, Leone's loss has raised concerns among fans due to the lack of defensive options. The team has been left to rely solely on Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, and Joe Gomez after the sale of Djibril Quansah and the collapse of a deal to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace at the last minute . With Konate's quadriceps injury against Chelsea, concerns have grown about the Reds' defensive line's fitness. Despite being called up to the France squad, he left the camp after being confirmed unfit to face Iceland, prompting Liverpool to await the results of a medical upon his return to the training ground . Slot may find himself forced to rely on Gomez alongside Van Dijk against Manchester United, while Andy Robertson remains an alternative option at center back, alongside midfielders Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo, who can fill in if needed . Ironically, according to a report by the Liverpool Echo, the same trio, in addition to Konate, suffered various injuries during the international break. Endo withdrew from the Japan camp with a muscle injury, while Robertson was seen limping after the loss to Chelsea, and Gravenberch left the Netherlands' match against Finland in the first half with a hamstring strain . Despite this, there was relatively reassuring news at the end of the international break. Robertson completed both of Scotland's matches and contributed to the winning goal against Belarus, demonstrating his readiness to return to his natural position. The medical staff for both Japan and the Netherlands downplayed the injuries to Endo and Gravenberch, insisting they were precautionary . Slot appears to have avoided a serious defensive crisis ahead of the clash with their arch-rivals, but the injury situation once again highlights the fragility of the team's defensive depth, making any further setback a real threat to Liverpool's season.