Liverpool trio Joel Matip, Roberto Firmino, and Thiago Alcantara ruled out of West Ham United tie
In his pre-match press conference (h/t Liverpool Echo) Jurgen Klopp issued an update ruling out the likes of Joel Matip, Roberto Firmino, and Thiago Alcantara for their next game against West Ham United.
The Reds are enjoying a great run of form this season. They have already bagged their first piece of silverware this campaign with an emphatic EFL Cup victory over Chelsea. The Merseysiders are only six points behind with a game in hand over current PL leaders Manchester City and can’t seem to put a foot wrong at the moment.
Liverpool competes across a host of competitions at the elite level and it’s bound to take its toll on the core players every now and then. The Hammers can go up against the very best on their day and are one of only two teams that have beaten the Reds in the top tier of English professional football this season.
Let us take a look at the list of players who will be unavailable and how it could affect the Reds as they take on the Irons
Roberto Firmino
The Brazilian international may have seen a diminished role in the squad ever since the arrival of Diogo Jota but has always managed to chip in with crucial goals from time to time. The former Hoffenheim player has a great work ethic and is kept in high regard for his link-up play while dropping into deeper positions.
The 30-year-old could be available for the second leg of the UEFA Champions League tie against Inter Milan which could be a great boost considering the fact that he was the one who opened the deadlock in the reverse fixture.
In his pre-match presser (h/t Liverpool Echo), the German manager shed light on Firmino’s fitness. Whilst the comments were encouraging the Brazilian striker will still be unavailable for the match against West Ham:
“Bobby is looking good but not for the weekend. The plan is he trains on Sunday for first time full. That sounds then doable for Tuesday (vs Inter Milan).”
Joel Matip
The 30-year-old defender has slowly cemented his position in the starting lineup with the Anfield outfit. Matip not only possesses a great sense of awareness but is also known for his delightful adventure runs.
The former FC Schalke 04 defender finally opened his goal-scoring account for the season in their PL game against Leeds United in which the Reds trashed the Peacocks by a 6-0 scoreline. He has been a pivotal presence in the backline and his unavailability could be a grave loss for the Merseysiders.
Addressing the reporters in his pre-match conference (h/t Liverpool Echo), the former Borussia Dortmund manager stated that Matip would be unavailable due to illness but was quick to assure us that it wasn’t Covid
“Joel Matip is ill. Not covid but he won’t be available.”
Thiago Alcantara
The Spanish playmaker has had his own tryst with injuries ever since making the move to Anfield. The former Bayern Munich player was slowly starting to get in his stride with Liverpool but unfortunately picked up an injury in the warm-up for the Carabao Cup final against the Blues.
In his pre-match presser (h/t Liverpool Echo), the 54-year-old manager confirmed that Thiago will be unavailable for the match against West Ham. Unfortunately, there isn’t any confirmation as to when the Spaniard will be able to return to the field.
“I’m pretty sure that nobody will tell me differently, because he didn’t train yesterday, that Thiago will not be available for tomorrow.
Injuries were a recurring theme for the Anfield outfit last season. Klopp’s intense style of play coupled with the packed fixtures left very little time for recovery and put a lot of stress on the players.
The Merseysiders seem to be prepared for the hectic campaign this time and the German boss has done a good job of shuffling his players across different competitions so far. That being said, Klopp also expressed his doubts over the availability of midfielders Naby Keita and Curtis Jones.
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Liverpool still have a long way to go and would like to carry their current form into the business end of the season. The Anfield outfit would have to maintain the fitness levels of their core players if they are to compete for more titles in this campaign.
