Liverpool‘s injury woes have been well publicised this season, with key players ruled out for the majority of the campaign.
However, it’s the recurring problems of one man which have perhaps gone under the radar as winger Xherdan Shaqiri struggles to recapture his fitness.
The Switzerland international, who has proven he is more than capable of making an impact for the Reds during his frustrating time on Merseyside, hasn’t played since early November, and his national team chief can’t work out why.
Pierluigi Tami oversees the Swiss national sides and has told Blue News he is unaware of any reason for the 29-year-old to be sidelined, saying: ”We don’t know what’s going on with Shaqiri. He trained with us normally until the last day and would’ve been ready for the Ukraine game. We are in contact with the Liverpool team doctor but we have no specific information about the injury.”
In November, Jurgen Klopp mentioned a muscle injury picked up by Shaqiri whilst away with the national team, but this has seemingly been rebuffed by Tami.
Since arriving from Stoke in 2018, the 29-year-old has rarely managed to retain his fitness for long enough to become a Liverpool regular, although he has shown his qualities during his fleeting appearances at Anfield.
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Shaqiri’s absence has seemingly become so commonplace that most Reds fans don’t even bat an eyelid when the diminutive forward is ruled out once more.
What is for sure is Klopp could certainly use Shaqiri right now, as he could each and all of his squad members given the Reds’ injury concerns.
The former Bayern Munich man always appears content at Anfield and today marked the two-year anniversary of his famous brace against Manchester United – the type of performance which has been all too rare during his Liverpool career.
