By Ben Dinnery

6th Jan, 2022 | 1:30pm

Medical expert suggests real reason for mystery Thiago injury at Liverpool

Thiago Alcantara may have an “underlying issue” which is the root cause of his back injury at Liverpool.

That is the view of injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.

A Covid-19-enforced isolation period and now a hip injury have ruled Thiago out since Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Newcastle on 16 December.

Speaking in his media conference last Friday (31 December), Jurgen Klopp admitted “we actually have no idea where [Thiago’s injury] is coming from.”

The 30-year-old Spaniard missed 10 matches earlier this season with a calf problem and has started only nine games in total.

Dinnery claims that more details on the tempo-setting midfielder’s latest setback could emerge in the coming days.

“When managers talk about hip issues, people tend to think it’s structural, as in the actual hip,” he told Football Insider‘s Adam Willimas.

“But we have heard Klopp say previously that it is more muscular related. That could indicate that it’s a hip flexor issue.

“Thiago is coming off the back of Covid. In the one or two training sessions he has had, Klopp said he had complained of a little bit of soreness.

“That’s why he pulled out of the line-up and further assessments indicated that it is some sort of underlying issue.

“We haven’t got a lot to go off because obviously Klopp’s been sidelined himself.

“The club are fairly guarded until they have some kind of definitive diagnosis. That is something that could come out hopefully in the coming days ahead.“

Klopp has been forced to isolate after recording a positive Covid test last Saturday (1 January).

His Liverpool side are next in action against Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup on Sunday (9 December).

In other news, Watford make concrete move for Nathaniel Phillips as Liverpool asking price revealed.