Pivotal week for five Liverpool players now shrouded in doubt amid Covid crisis

After such a strong start to the season, the mood at Anfield has dipped.

Title rivals Manchester City are sitting prettily at the top of the Premier League table, 11 points clear of a Liverpool side now battling with an opponent which even Jurgen Klopp 's tactics can't defeat: coronavirus.

The Reds have been hit with a wave of positive tests over the festive period, culminating in Klopp's absence for their thrilling 2-2 draw with Chelsea on Sunday.

The likes of Alisson Becker, Joel Matip and Roberto Firmino were also isolating, as Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane both scored before jetting off to the Africa Cup of Nations for at least three weeks in bittersweet fashion.

But a number of fringe players are set to take the brunt of the club's Covid-inflicted chaos, with Anfield chiefs requesting that their League Cup semi-final clash with Arsenal on Thursday be postponed after sending the squad home from training on Tuesday.

If Liverpool's wish is granted, then their FA Cup Third Round tie at home to Shrewsbury Town on Sunday could also be culled.

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If those two cup ties, Klopp or his No.2, Pep Lijnders, were set to ring in the changes, just as they did when Leicester City came to town before Christmas.

In the League Cup quarter-final, the Reds' starting XI featured Joe Gomez, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Neco Williams and Takumi Minamino.

The quartet have been limited to a combined six Premier League starts this season - all of which belong to Oxlade-Chamberlain - and each have been linked with moves away in the January transfer window.

Reports earlier in the autumn suggested the aforementioned midfielder could return to Arsenal this month, with his contract expiring in 18 month's time.

Minamino even earned a loan switch to Southampton this time last year, a spell that proved prosperous for the 26-year-old.

But despite his goal and assist against Leicester, he's back to square one and facing an uncertain future at Anfield.

Speaking of uncertain futures, speculation surrounding Gomez's has been rife throughout the first half of the campaign.

Following the £36million summer signing of Ibrahima Konate, fans hoped the former England international would rise to the competition - but the Frenchman now appears well ahead in the pecking order.

Gomez, captain in two League Cup matches this term, will know his place in the Three Lions' World Cup squad depends on events over the next 11 months, having been overlooked by Gareth Southgate since October 2020.

Fellow defender Williams has also struggled for his desired game-time but fortunately retained his international place for Wales.

Klopp surprisingly employed the by-trade full-back on the wing against Leicester, with Williams performing admirably but not featuring since.

One man who didn't play in the aforementioned cup tie was Curtis Jones, who has been usurped by Harvey Elliott - still out injured - as the exciting young playmaker at the club.

Having assisted Salah's wonder goal against City at the start of October, the 20-year-old has appeared just four times since as he was out with an eye injury, but he returned to gain one minute of action at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

That could've been a hint that standby boss Lijnders was keen to include him this week, given he's starred in cup competitions over recent seasons.

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Even goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher was set for three successive starts this week, but that's now unlikely to happen if Alisson returns once the fixtures do.

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher recently told Klopp and co that they need to learn to love cups, but right now, the Reds' priority is simply navigating a month which has already thrown up its fair share of problems.

And unfortunately, that means the men desperate for minutes may have to wait to prove their credentials to Klopp or put themselves in the shop window.