Liverpool could be handed a major boost for the festive programme by the new guidelines over Covid-19 isolation.
The Reds are one of a number of Premier League teams whose squad has been hit by coronavirus cases, with Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho and Curtis Jones all testing positive before last Thursday’s victory over Newcastle.
The trio were then joined by Thiago Alcantara, who missed Sunday’s draw at Tottenham after recording a positive case.
Government guidelines were that anyone who recorded a positive case must self-isolate for ten days, but it has now been announced that the self-isolation period has been cut to seven days provided those affected have no symptoms and can produce negative lateral flow results on day six and day seven.
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This would mean, as long as the players concerned meet that criteria, that they may yet be able to play some part in Liverpool’s intense festive fixture programme, although assistant manager Pep Lijnders insisted when speaking before Wednesday's Carabao Cup quarter-final against Leicester that the club ‘will not rush anyone back’ into the team as training time will be needed.
Van Dijk, Fabinho and Jones reportedly tested positive on December 16 so if their isolation period was cut to seven days it would end on Christmas Eve, making them potentially available for the Boxing Day clash with Leeds United at Anfield, but more realistically the trips to Leicester City and Chelsea on December 28 and January 2 respectively.
Thiago, meanwhile, tested positive on December 18 meaning his period of quarantine would potentially end on Boxing Day giving him a full week to prepare ahead for the showdown with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
But Liverpool will still be without all four players for when they take on Leicester City at Anfield on Wednesday night for a place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals (7.45pm kick off).
