Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp welcomes back Diogo Jota while Thiago Alcantara picks up a fresh injury
Speaking to the media ahead of the Merseyside Derby (h/t Liverpool FC website), Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Thiago Alcantara has a hip issue that kept him out of training this week while Diogo Jota trained normally.
Thiago was not pictured in the training pictures on Thursday, with Liverpool Echo confirmed that he is working on an individual programme. As it turns out, the Spaniard has an issue which puts him in doubt for the derby on Monday.
On a positive front, Klopp is confident that Jota should be in contention to make it to the squad for the game having trained well for the past two days and there are three more days to go.
Here’s what the German said regarding these two players and the possible return dates of others in the line (h/t Liverpool FC website):
“Diogo is the closest, he trains now normal already for two days, so another three days [of] training is possible for him. I think he is in contention for the squad, I would say, but we have to wait a little bit.
“Yeah, Thiago has some problems. I know the problems, but I have to ask the medical department what I am allowed to say about it. Hip flexor, stuff like this, that’s it pretty much. He wasn’t able to train.”
While it is good to know Jota is back in contention because we have missed him badly since the World Cup, Thiago’s injury has dampened the mood to an extent.
In a season where things are determined not to fall in place for Liverpool, we have one key player coming back to the team in favour of one picking up an injury.
We can only hope that this is not a serious problem for Thiago, who has had a history of hip and muscle injuries.
On the other hand, it does not seem like the trio of Virgil van Dijk, Arthur Melo and Roberto Firmino will feature against Everton. For them, the Newcastle United game on February 18th looks like a possibility.
More Liverpool News:
- Liverpool are interested in Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic
- Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita set for summer exit from Anfield
- Newcastle United’s Callum Wilson jumps to defend Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez
Whichever way you shape it, the game on Monday is massive for the club. Generally, form goes out of the window in derby games, but Liverpool need to find some to beat their local rivals.
