Latest Liverpool news: Joel Matip close to being 100%

Liverpool central defender Joel Matip has claimed that he is close to being 100% for the Reds on the pitch. The Cameroon defender missed a month of football after a collarbone injury during the Champions League win over Napoli in December.

He has started our last four games and believes he is close to being back to his best. The defender spoke to the official match programme (h/t Liverpool Echo) and claimed he needed a little more time on the pitch to get into the groove:

“My collarbone is completely fine now, but of course every player needs some time on the field after an injury to get back to 100% and build up the match fitness, but that is getting better and better.

“I need some time but I feel that I am in a good way and the shoulder is okay.”

The defender added that there are many games left in the season for him to perform, and claimed that he has to improve to stay in Jurgen Klopp’s plans.

Matip rises to the occasion

The 27-year-old has done a great job since his return, and Liverpool need him to stay fit for a while. Joe Gomez is recovering from surgery related to a lower leg fracture, and there is no time frame regarding the return of Dejan Lovren.

Our next game is against Bayern Munich in the Champions League and to make it worse, Virgil van Dijk is suspended for the first leg.

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Hence, we need Matip to be at his very best against the German giants alongside whoever he plays with in central defence.