Joe Allen Injury: Updates on Liverpool Star's Knee and Return

Updates from Friday, Oct. 17

Joe Allen is back in the Liverpool squad for Sunday's trip to QPR.

Brendan Rodgers confirmed, via the Liverpool Echo's James Pearce:

Updates from Wednesday, Oct. 1

Joe Allen has been left out of Wales' squad for the looming international break, despite earlier claims from the Daily Mirror's Andrew Gwilym that he would be included.

Wales made the following squad announcement on Wednesday:

Updates from Thursday, Sept. 18

James Pearce of Liverpool Echo reports Joe Allen's status for Saturday's match:

Original Text

Liverpool are very much in the mix early in the 2014/15 EPL season, but myriad injuries to key players, such as midfielder Joe Allen, are threatening the Reds' prospects.

According to James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo, the Welsh star is currently dealing with a knee injury:

Allen's injury is in addition to the one suffered by midfielder Emre Can, which Pearce mentioned as well. Also, forward Daniel Sturridge is expected to miss time with a thigh ailment, per Liverpool's official Twitter account:

It isn't yet known if Allen will miss Liverpool's clash with Aston Villa on Saturday at Anfield, but the Reds figure to be shorthanded regardless.

Allen's injury was suffered on international duty for Wales as the Welsh side beat Andorra 2-1 in a Euro 2016 qualifying match on Tuesday. According to Sunni Upal of the Mail Online, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers blamed Allen's injury on the state of Andorra's field: "Joe Allen is also a doubt after playing on a dreadful pitch with Wales."

The 24-year-old Allen is in the midst of his third season at Anfield. He is quickly developing into a key, two-way midfielder, and his absence will be felt if he is forced to miss the Aston Villa match.

Liverpool have enough talent to get by without an important player every once in a while, but being without Allen, Can and Sturridge could pose a major problem.

It is unclear how serious Allen's injury is, but one can only assume that he will do everything possible to get on the pitch, considering the fact that the Reds are decimated by injuries.

If Allen isn't fit, though, Liverpool may be in danger of losing a match that most would have expected them to win prior to the season.

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