Liverpool had 17 players called up to their senior national teams in the past week, most of them had success too but the break has given Jurgen Klopp some things to think about as a few key members of his squad picked up injuries:
Here’s how Liverpool’s international stars performed:
Jordan Henderson, Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold
Henderson started in the left side of a midfield three and played the full game foe England in 0-0 draw with Croatia. Gomez and Alexander-Arnold were unused substitutes.
Henderson picked up a yellow card against Croatia so was inedible to play against Spain, a game which the Three Lions won 3-2 – Spain’s first defeat on home soil since 1987.
Former Red Raheem Sterling broke his international scoring drought with two goals and Marcus Rashford got the other.
Borussia Dortmund striker Paco Alcacer scored off the bench and Sergio Ramos headed home a consolation in the 97th minute.
Gomez played the full game at centre-half and earned a lot of plaudits. Alexander-Arnold came off the bench for Kieran Tripper in the 85th minute.
Alisson, Roberto Firmino and Fabinho
All three were absent in Brazil’s 2-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in the Saudi Superclassico a friendly tournament – with Fabinho not even making the bench, Alex Telles and Gabriel Jesus scored.
However, all three featured in their next game, the final against Argentina in which Miranda headed home a 93rd-minute corner to take home the trophy.
Firmino and Alisson started and played the full game while Fabinho came on the bench for the injured Danilo at right back.
Mohamed Salah
Salah scored directly from a corner just before halftime in a 4-1 victory over Swaziland in an Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying match.
He came off injured with a muscle strain later in the match and therefore missed the return leg, where Egypt beat Swaziland 2-0 securing a place in next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Simon Mignolet
Mignolet was an unused substitute in Belgium’s 2-1 victory over Switzerland, in which Romelu Lukaku scored twice for Belgium and Mario Gavranovic scored for the Swiss.
He was chosen in goal in Belgium’s next game, a friendly against the Netherlands that game finished 1-1 – Dries Mertens and Arnaut Groeneveld scored in that tie.
Despite conceding a goal Mignolet played well in the game, making thee good saves to prevent Holland from scoring a winner.
Virgil van Dijk and Georgino Wijnaldum
Van Dijk and Wijnaldum were the stars of the show against Germany as they both got a goal each in a 3-0 victory over the 2014 World Cup winners.
Van Dijk didn’t feature in Holland’s next game, a 1-1 friendly over Belgium, due to problems with his rib injury and Wijnaldum was an unused substitute.
Andrew Robertson
Robertson played the full game at left wing-back for Scotland in 2-1 defeat away against Israel in the UEFA Nations League.
Dor Peretz and Kieran Tierney scored an own goal for Israel and Charlie Mulgrew scored a penalty for Scotland – Robertson also picked up a yellow card 87th minute.
The Scottish captain then played the full game at left back for his side in a 3-1 defeat at home to Portugal in a friendly match.
Costa, Eder and Jeffery Bruma scored the away side and Steven Naismith got the goal for Scotland.
Naby Keita
Keita went off injured in Guinea’s 2-0 victory over Rwanda in the Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying game – Francois Kamano and Ibrahima Cisse scored.
The Liverpool midfielder went down clutching his hamstring and didn’t feature in Guinea’s next game a 1-1 draw again with Rwanda.
Guniea sit top of their group, ahead of Ivory Coast, with 10 points in Group H.
Xherdan Shaqiri
Shaqiri played the full game behind the striker in the 2-1 defeat to Belgium in the UEFA Nations League.
Shaqiri got an assist in Switerzland’s next game, a 2-1 victory over Iceland. Haris Seferovic and Michael Lang got the goals for the Swiss. Alfred Finnbogasson scored for Iceland.
Sadio Mane
Mane started for Senegal at right midfield in a 3-0 victory over Sudan but came off with an injury to his hand late in the game.
Pape Abou Cisse, Idrissa Gueye and M’Baye Niang scored in that game but Mane didn’t feature in their next game the return leg a 1-0 victory over Sudan.
Senegal finished top of their group and qualified for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Ben Woodburn and Harry Wilson
Wilson scored a spectacular freekick to claim his side a 1-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Nations League.
He played behind Tyler Roberts in a second striker role and Woodburn was an unused substitute.
Liam Millar
Under 21s striker Liam Millar was called up by the senior Canada side and started in a 5-0 victory over Dominica in a 2019-20 CONCAF Nations League Qualifying match. He played on the wing for the first 67th minute before being replaced by Lyon youth defender Zachary Brault-Guillard.
