Trent Alexander-Arnold sets target fixture for Liverpool return

Trent Alexander-Arnold has a target fixture in mind for his Liverpool return. The Scouser is battling back from injury.

Trent Alexander-Arnold picked up a knee injury against Arsenal at the start of the month, ruling him out for several weeks. That came at an awful time for Liverpool, too, as Dominik Szoboszlai is also out, while Mohamed Salah is at AFCON with Egypt.

And, of course, Andy Robertson has been out for months. Liverpool's four most creative players are all missing - and they're somehow still winning games.

Things should clear up quite fast, though. Szoboszlai will be the first to return, potentially against Bournemouth this weekend. A late fitness test will determine that one.

Salah likely doesn't return until early next month, depending on how Egypt do at the tournament. Robertson is then scheduled to be back in the mix at either the end of this month or the start of February - we'll wait and see on that one.

So what about Alexander-Arnold? Well, the Liverpool Echo claims that the home meeting against Chelsea is the target fixture for the right-back. That's Wednesday, January 31st.

It's also Liverpool's next Premier League fixture after Bournemouth this weekend. The Reds will plan without him against both Fulham in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg and the FA Cup Fourth Round clash with Norwich City.

Both are fixtures Liverpool expect to win and there's no desperate need to rush Alexander-Arnold back in order to play. Making sure he's there against Chelsea is of far higher priority - and it appears that's the plan.

Though, the Reds will be hesitant to rush him back for that one unless they're 100 per cent sure he's ready. The following fixture is away at Arsenal and that promises to be one of the two biggest remaining on the Premier League calendar.

While Chelsea will be the target, it could well be that Liverpool choose not to risk him there, either.