Liverpool waiting to hear whether Naby Keita will be latest player forced to isolate after Covid-19 test

Liverpool are facing an anxious wait to discover if Naby Keita will be their latest player to contract Covid-19 following a spate of positive tests for British-based players on international duty.

The Republic of Ireland lost five players from its squad to face Wales in the goalless draw on Sunday after an unnamed player tested positive and then a further four players were deemed to have been close contacts.

Keita was also absent from Guinea Bissau’s 2-1 win against Cape Verde and, although it was reported locally that he had tested positive for Covid-19, Liverpool are understood to be waiting for further verification.

Sadio Mane and Thiago Alcantara have previously also contracted the virus but an initial positive test for Xherdan Shaqiri was ultimately actually the result of a ‘false-positive’ due to him already having antibodies.

Gary Owens, the interim chief executive of the Football Association of Ireland, said that their Covid-19 test results had emerged on Saturday night.

“One of our players tested positively and then four were deemed to have had close contact, so therefore they could not play and we lost five players as a result of it,” he said.

Centre-back John Egan, forward Callum Robinson and midfielders Alan Browne and Callum O'Dowda, who all featured against Slovakia last Thursday, were all missing from the team.

The Republic of Ireland are also now due to face Finland away in the Nations League on Wednesday evening.

Celtic also facing the loss of key players ahead of their 12.30pm kick-off against Rangers on Saturday. Nir Bitton tested positive for Covid-19 while on international duty with Israel, while Scotland’s Ryan Christie went into self-isolation last week after coming in contact with Southampton midfielder Stuart Armstrong. Forward Odsonne Edouard also returned a positive result when playing for France’s Under-21 team.

"Clearly, recent events during this international period are very concerning and frustrating," said a Celtic statement.

"The current situation has presented huge challenges for all within football and wider society which we do not underestimate in any way.”

Arsenal are also hugely frustrated at the potential absence of Kieran Tierney against Manchester City on Saturday. Like Christie, Tiereny was judged to have been a close contact of Armstrong while on Scotland duty and has been told to self-isolate for 14 days from October 8.

Tierney had produced three negative tests before Scotland’s match against Israel last Thursday and had also previously self-isolated for 10 days before the start of the season following a positive test. Both Tierney and Christie believe that they have followed all protocols with regard to social distancing but were identified as ‘close contacts’ of Armstrong by the Lothian Health Protection Team.