Liverpool Left Short Between the Posts at the Worst Possible Time
Liverpool's already strained goalkeeping situation took a fresh blow last Sunday when Giorgi Mamardashvili, deputising for the injured Alisson Becker, was stretchered off during the Merseyside Derby against Everton with a deep knee wound. The Georgian stopper had been holding down the fort in the absence of Liverpool's first-choice keeper, but his abrupt exit forced manager Arne Slot to throw third-choice Freddie Woodman into the Premier League fray for the first time since joining the club last summer.
Woodman, signed on the back of three consecutive 40-plus appearance seasons in the Championship, performed creditably enough in the circumstances, earning praise from defender Andy Robertson. Yet his presence between the posts underlines the precarious depth Liverpool are navigating with just five league fixtures remaining and a Champions League qualification berth very much still in the balance.
Woodman Set to Start Against Crystal Palace
With Liverpool hosting Crystal Palace at Anfield on Saturday, neither Alisson nor Mamardashvili is expected to be available. Alisson has already been ruled out of this weekend's fixture, while Mamardashvili faces an estimated two-to-four week recovery period — a timeline confirmed by sources within the club to The Athletic and corroborated by reports out of Georgia. That window could see the 25-year-old return for the final two matches of the 2025–26 season, but Saturday's game against Palace will fall to Woodman to manage.
Alisson Eyes Old Trafford Comeback
The better news for Liverpool supporters is that Alisson himself is targeting a return to action for the club's trip to Manchester United at Old Trafford, scheduled for Sunday, April 26 — roughly 12 days after he last featured. The Brazilian, who has been sidelined since last month with a hamstring issue — his second of the season — has offered an upbeat assessment of his own recovery. "I didn't suffer a new injury," he stated. "I'm in the treatment phase, and the plan is to be in full playing condition by the end of April."
That optimism is somewhat more forward-leaning than the position outlined by Slot, who had previously indicated that Alisson's return would come "towards the end of the season." The discrepancy between player ambition and medical caution is a familiar tension, but for a club chasing Champions League football next season, the distinction matters enormously.
What Alisson's Return Would Mean
Alisson's influence extends well beyond shot-stopping. A key component of Liverpool's tactical identity under Slot — as it was under Jürgen Klopp — is the ability to control build-up play through the goalkeeper. The 33-year-old's command of his area, distribution, and decision-making in high-pressure moments makes him genuinely irreplaceable in the squad hierarchy. Slot himself acknowledged as much in January, describing the Brazilian as "the best goalkeeper" in the world — a view shared by the overwhelming majority of Liverpool's fanbase.
Having Alisson available for a high-stakes fixture at Old Trafford, against a Manchester United side also fighting for its own European ambitions, would represent a significant tactical and psychological boost for the Reds.
The Broader Stakes: Champions League Qualification on the Line
Liverpool currently sit fifth in the Premier League table with five matches remaining — against Crystal Palace, Manchester United, Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Brentford. Each of those opponents is also either fighting for European football or could complicate Liverpool's path. The margin for error is thin, and the injury list across the squad has compounded the pressure on Slot considerably.
Beyond the goalkeeping department, Hugo Ekitike — who had made a significant impact following his arrival — ruptured his Achilles tendon during the Champions League quarter-final against PSG last week and has been ruled out not only for the remainder of this campaign but for an estimated nine months, which would eat into the start of next season as well. Conor Bradley's absence has further limited defensive options.
In this context, the potential return of Alisson before the season's end is not merely welcome — it may be critical to Liverpool's European ambitions.
A Season That Has Tested Liverpool's Depth to Its Limits
The cumulative effect of this injury wave offers a broader reflection on the structural challenges facing elite clubs navigating congested modern calendars. Liverpool's ability to compete on multiple fronts — they remain in European contention domestically even after their Champions League exit — has been severely tested by the unavailability of key players at pivotal moments.
Freddie Woodman's profile is instructive in this regard. At 28, with consistent Championship experience, he represents a more capable emergency option than many clubs carry as a third-choice keeper. Yet the very fact that Liverpool are relying on him for consecutive Premier League appearances at this stage of the season illustrates how thin the margins have become. Woodman stepping up is a testament to squad planning, but it also highlights just how much hinges on Alisson's fitness in the final weeks of a season where every point carries outsized consequence.
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