Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel will leave the German side at the end of the season. AFP Photo

Paul Kennedy

In football, timing is everything. A pin-point pass that splits the defence and finds the attacker in a perfect position to slot home.

Or maybe a split-second reaction save from a goalkeeper in the dying seconds of a match when he is in the right place at the very right time.

Liverpool this week have been the victims of bad timing off the pitch that could not only derail their season but deliver a massive dent in their future plans.

A major injury crisis has left the squad without seven key players just days before they face Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.

And there’s no guarantee many of those in the treatment room will be back in action for the potential Premier League-decider against Manchester City on March 10.

But a bigger blow came when I heard the news that Bayern Munich have decided to part ways with manager Thomas Tuchel at the end of the season.

From a Liverpool perspective, the timing couldn’t be any worse.

Supporters, myself included, believed that former Red Xabi Alonso was a shoe-in to take over when Jurgen Klopp leaves Liverpool in May.

Although nothing official has been announced, Alonso was firm favourite to make a return to Liverpool to lead the team.

The announcement of Tuchel’s departure has thrown a serious spanner into the works.

Alonso, although a former Liverpool player, also starred for Bayern Munich making 79 appearances from 2014-2017, winning the Bundesliga three times.

Word on the streets of Germany is that Alonso is top of Bayern Munich’s list of potential new managers, and you could argue that job is more appealing to the Spaniard who is already living and working in Germany.

So I expect a tug of war over the next few months between Alonso’s two potential suiters and I hope it’s Anfield that comes out on top.

There’s always the possibility a deal has already been done. Liverpool are notoriously shrewd and secretive negotiators. Only time will tell.

But back to reality with a bump, and there’s the small matter of the first cup final of the season on Sunday.

Chelsea are showing signs of improvement in recent weeks, and when you consider the above-mentioned injury concerns, I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion that Liverpool will be lifting the trophy at the end of the match.

Liverpool’s medical staff need to work around the clock and at least get Mohammed Salah and Darwin Nunez back fit and ready to start. Both were missing from on Wednesday’s victory over Luton Town.

Timing, really is, everything.