“Thiago is back” – Klopp provides latest LFC team news ahead of Napoli clash

Klopp provided updates on the Liverpool team news ahead of the Napoli game

Speaking in the press conference ahead of the Napoli game (h/t Liverpool Echo), Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp provided updates on the team news. He talked about how Thiago Alcantara and Arthur Melo are coming along fitness-wise, while giving news on Jordan Henderson’s time scale of injury and why the young duo of Fabio Carvalho and Curtis Jones did not travel to Italy with the squad.

Klopp confirmed that Thiago returned to training on Monday and is ready to play. Meanwhile, deadline day signing Arthur, who wasn’t in team training before joining Liverpool, is in team training but not ready to play a full game.

Captain Henderson is ruled out for the remaining games before the international break. Carvalho had a dead leg in the derby and is yet to return to team training, while Jones has a problem in the same bone he had a stress injury on.

Here’s Klopp talking about Thiago’s return and Henderson’s time-scale (h/t Liverpool Echo):

Thiago is back in training, second day today, he’s ready. For how long, we’ll see. Hendo, the results of the scan [show] after the int’l break he’ll be back.

So, while Klopp has got some options back for this game, having a few out at the same time does not help with the options he can use. It is further not helpful that it is in midfield that they are getting most of the injuries.

It would be interesting how he comes up with a line-up to play against a youthful yet quality Napoli side. Five substitutions are always an aid to the manager, who can start with a team and then make changes without hesitation to alter the course of the game.

Fabinho and Harvey Elliott have played a lot of football already in midfield. So, we wouldn’t be surprised if one of them is given a rest while James Milner gets a start with options such as Thiago and Arthur.

More Liverpool News:

• Steven Gerrard talks about the Douglas Luiz situation amid Liverpool links
• Rio Ferdinand identifies Fabinho as the reason for Newcastle’s opening goal against Liverpool
• Arthur Melo and Liverpool. How will this transfer turn out?

For the second game running, Klopp has all five attackers available. Hence, he can mix and match there to cause problems to the Napoli back-line. The Reds’ defensive line more or less picks itself up.