Liverpool head coach Arne Slot insisted he was only focused on the short-term future of goalkeeper Alisson and that was getting him back into the team after injury. The Brazil international has been sidelined for more than a month with a hamstring injury \u2013 his second of the season \u2013 and this week was linked with Juventus, even though the club have taken the option to extend his expiring deal by 12 months.<\/p>\n
Alisson\u2019s unavailability has become more of an issue and that has been thrown into sharp focus with Giorgi Mamardashvili ruled out by a gashed leg sustained in last week\u2019s Merseyside derby victory<\/a>. It means the 29-year-old third-choice Freddie Woodman is set for his full Premier League debut<\/a> for the club, having come off the bench against Everton.<\/p>\n \u201cI am only focused on the short-term future and that is getting him back into goal as soon as possible,\u201d said Slot on the future of Alisson, who was \u201cclose\u201d to a return, according to the head coach. \u201cAll these rumours that are out there about him and about probably me and about others, we don\u2019t react to. We only react when facts need to be told and that is not the situation at the moment.<\/p>\n \u201cThe main focus for Ali is very clear, that is getting back in goal as soon as possible for the club he loves to play for and then he wants to be in goal for the country he loves to play for, that is Brazil. I think that is already the short- and mid-term future.\u201d<\/p>\n Slot played down the number of injuries Alisson had sustained but there is no doubt his fitness record has deteriorated. In his first five seasons at Liverpool he missed a combined 19 Premier League and Champions League games \u2013 through either injury or illness \u2013 but in just under three campaigns since, he has been sidelined for 37 in both competitions.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course we are looking at these kind of injuries he is having,\u201d added Slot. \u201cA muscle injury, you always try to prevent that with your training programme and schedule but he is not the only one. Football has changed so much. Everywhere you see muscle injuries more and more and we all know why \u2013 because of this crazy schedule we have to play.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe age plays a part but this week we saw one of the youngest players playing at an incredibly high level \u2013 Lamine Yamal \u2013 getting injured with a muscle injury as well. I would not put that down to age, I would put it more down to the schedule.\u201d PA Media<\/p>\n 2. Livramento out for rest of season, fears Howe <\/p>\n Eddie Howe is unsure whether Tino Livramento will recover from a thigh problem in time to play again this season. Newcastle\u2019s manager is awaiting the results of a second scan on an injury his England full-back picked up against Bournemouth<\/a> that could jeopardise the defender\u2019s hopes of being part of Thomas Tuchel\u2019s World Cup squad.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will wait and see whether Tino plays again this season,\u201d said Howe, who revealed that Anthony Gordon would miss Saturday\u2019s trip to Arsenal with hip trouble. Although the England winger\u2019s potential World Cup participation is not thought to be in doubt, Gordon\u2019s absence at a time when he is being linked with a summer move to Bayern Munich has raised eyebrows. Howe, though, was adamant it is wrong to question the former Everton player\u2019s commitment to Newcastle. \u201cAnthony Gordon is injured, 100%,\u201d he said. \u201cSo it\u2019s a non-question [to query his loyalty].\u201d<\/p>\n Tino Livramento (centre) was injured against Bournemouth at St James\u2019 Park. Photograph: Robin Jones\/AFC Bournemouth\/Getty Images<\/p>\n After eight defeats in 11 league games, Howe\u2019s job security looks weaker than at any time during his St James\u2019 Park tenure but he insisted was \u201clooking forward\u201d to meeting Newcastle\u2019s Saudi Arabian majority owners at a club summit next week. \u201cIt\u2019s something that happens regularly, so it\u2019s nothing out of the norm for us,\u201d Howe said. \u201cI always like the chance to talk directly to the owners and to express things from my perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n Howe has challenged his team to win their five remaining fixtures and said he believed a lack of confidence rather than disillusionment with his management was to blame for the slump. \u201cEveryone is committed, we are all feeling the pain at the moment,\u201d he said. \u201cBut we\u2019re lacking confidence and, when that happens, you can overthink things and try too hard.\u201d<\/p>\n Howe was asked why he continued to leave two of last summer\u2019s marquee attacking signings, Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, on the bench. \u201cYou have to reward players for what they deliver,\u201d said Howe, who is expected to persist with Will Osula as his lone striker at Arsenal. Louise Taylor<\/p>\n 3. Guardiola won\u2019t risk Rodri for semi-final<\/p>\n Rodri will not play in Manchester City\u2019s FA Cup semi-final against Southampton on Saturday. The Spanish midfielder missed City\u2019s victory at Burnley on Wednesday<\/a> after being forced off late in the previous game against Arsenal<\/a> with a groin problem. With City chasing the Premier League title, manager Pep Guardiola is unwilling to take a chance on the 2024 Ballon d\u2019Or winner at Wembley.<\/p>\n The issue is the latest in a series of setbacks to have beset the 29-year-old since he suffered a serious knee injury early last season and the focus is on proving his fitness for the trip to Everton on 4 May. Guardiola said: \u201cWe don\u2019t want to take a risk. I don\u2019t know yet [for Everton] \u2013 hopefully, but we don\u2019t want to take a risk because we could lose him for the next five games.\u201d<\/p>\n Defenders R\u00faben Dias and Josko Gvardiol are also sidelined but Guardiola is otherwise encouraged by the options available to him.<\/p>\n City are appearing in the last four of the FA Cup for a record-extending eighth straight year and have the chance to reach the final for the fourth year in succession. They will be strong favourites against Championship side Southampton but Guardiola is taking nothing for granted. He said: \u201cTo be able to knock out Fulham and Arsenal<\/a> speaks for itself. They have good rhythm. We just focus on the game tomorrow, what we have to do with the selection, for the spirit and how we recover the players from these two demanding games. A semi-final is tough.\u201d PA Media<\/p>\n 4. Branthwaite\u2019s latest injury troubles Moyes<\/p>\n David Moyes has said Everton are worried about Jarrad Branthwaite\u2019s hamstring issues after the defender was ruled out for the rest of the season with the injury he sustained against Liverpool.<\/p>\n