Jurgen Klopp issues squad update as Liverpool could be without eight first-team players for Arsenal clash
Sadio Mane will be available to face Arsenal this weekend, but Liverpool could be without up to eight first-team players.
During the November international break, the Senegalese, Jordan Henderson, and Andy Robertson all suffered setbacks, putting them in danger of joining Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, James Milner, Joe Gomez, and Curtis Jones – as well as the recovering Harvey Elliott – on the sidelines.
Jurgen Klopp, on the other hand, has confirmed that Mane will be available after taking part in training this week after suffering from a rib complaint while playing for Senegal, but Henderson and Robertson remain doubtful.
“Sadio is fine – painful but fine,” the German said. “Everybody who had a rib bruise knows it’s an annoying thing. But Sad trained here with us now in all sessions.
“We took him out a little bit earlier here and there when we knew now it will be full contact, stuff like this, just to give it a bit more time to settle. But he looks fine.”
“Robbo was lucky, we can probably say. It was a little bit DOMS, the intensity of all the games he played probably, rather than anything else.
“He was smart enough to [make] the right decision, he went off early, which he usually is not doing. But in this case it was absolutely right, and so there’s a good chance that he can be involved at the weekend.
“Hendo, a little bit more (injured) than Robbo but a chance for the weekend. So we are working on that. It’s not a serious injury but in this short period of time we have to see if he is ready for Saturday. But after that, 100 per cent, and possibly for Arsenal as well.”
While Klopp hasn’t given up hope that Robertson and Henderson will be able to face Arsenal, he has admitted that the rest of Liverpool’s walking wounded are still missing despite making good progress, ruling out five stars for the weekend match.
“Joe is obviously still not available,” he told the club website. “He is in a good way and it looks pretty good. It was clear he will need a few weeks and that’s still (the case), the rehab is not finished. But in a good place actually.
“Naby and James are in a good way as well, getting closer. Probably next week we expect them being back in team training, let’s see what that means for the Porto game – but not for the weekend, they are not available.
“Bobby (is) getting closer but not for the weekend. We’ll see, that will take a little bit longer still.”
He continued: “I thought I saw all injuries as a manager, but that (Curtis Jones’ injury) was really a freak one. He was very lucky – very lucky – in the end because we all know with the eye there’s no jokes about that, let me say it like this.
“He is good, he is just not allowed to do a lot of things in the moment, we have to wait until the doctors give us a green light. Curtis is completely fine, he has his eyesight back, all these kinds of things, but the eye is still recovering.”
Elliott began training outside on the grass for the first time during the November international break, but he is still a long way from returning, and Klopp provided no update on Origi, who suffered a dead leg while on international duty for Belgium, according to Roberto Martinez.
Origi, on the other hand, was pictured in training images released by the club on Thursday evening, implying that there are no remaining concerns about his condition.
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Jurgen Klopp issues squad update as Liverpool could be without eight first-team players for Arsenal clash
