Injuries are costing Liverpool dearly says Rio Ferdinand after Reds’ defeat to Nottingham Forest

Rio Ferdinand believes that the number of injuries Liverpool are having to deal with is hampering their performances.

Thiago Alcantara was also a late withdrawal after suffering an ear infection. Andy Robertson and Jordan Henderson have also spent time on the sidelines this season.

Saturday’s result means that Liverpool have now lost three of their 11 Premier League games – one more than the had lost in the whole of the 2021-22 campaign.

After 11 matches, Liverpool are seventh and four points behind fourth-placed Chelsea who have a game in hand.

“There’s no doubt that the injuries they’ve had, to big key players as well, is affecting them,” said Ferdinand on BT Sport.

“It’s going to affect any team. You take four or five big players – starters – out of any team, including Man City, it’s going to take the edge off their performances.

“He [Steve Cooper] will be sitting there going, ‘we could have had three or four today”, said Ferdinand.

“It’s not only that Liverpool had chances – Virgil van Dijk could probably have had a hat-trick on another day – but you can say that Alison was one of the better players on Liverpool team in terms of the saves he had to make as well.”

Meanwhile, Peter Crouch admitted that Liverpool were ‘not at their best’.

“You can’t dress that up,” he added.

“There were still chances. I thought from set pieces they were very dangerous, they had free headers, Van Dijk had some chances.

“I just think [Mohamed] Salah down the middle couldn’t find the space and he’s the key man. If you can’t get him on the ball, you’re going to struggle.”