Southampton’s No. 1 is already a doubt vs. Liverpool – 3rd choice keeper could start

Southampton are likely to be without first-choice goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale for the visit of Liverpool later this month, as he undergoes finger surgery.

The Reds will head to St Mary’s for their first game back after the international break on November 24, pitting the Premier League‘s best and worst sides against each other.

Arne Slot can be hopeful of a more positive injury situation as Harvey Elliott, Alisson, Federico Chiesa and Diogo Jota all near their return and Trent Alexander-Arnold recovers from a hamstring problem.

But for Southampton manager Russell Martin there could be a bigger issue between the sticks, with Ramsdale pulling out of England duty with a finger injury.

Per The Athletic, Ramsdale will undergo surgery to fix a suspected fractured finger this week, and though “it has yet to be confirmed how long he will be out” he is certainly doubtful for action in under a fortnight.

While a finger injury is rarely an issue in football the problem is worse for goalkeepers, for reasons that need no explanation.

Ramsdale was one of eight players to pull out of the England squad on Monday, along with Alexander-Arnold, Levi Colwill, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Cole Palmer, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.

Southampton are already without Gavin Bazunu, which means 34-year-old Alex McCarthy would be in line to start if Ramsdale is out.

McCarthy filled in at the end of last season as Southampton earned promotion and started the first two games on their return to the Premier League, but has only featured once since August.

That came in the Carabao Cup win over Everton on September 17, with Martin exclusively calling upon Ramsdale since then.

Ramsdale joined Southampton from Arsenal in a deal worth £25 million late in the summer transfer window, but he has only kept one clean sheet in 10 games so far, conceding 21 goals in that time.

Southampton could also be without forwards Ryan Fraser and Ross Stewart as well as midfielders Will Smallbone and Flynn Downes, though much could change for both sides over the course of the international break.