Philippe Coutinho is in contention to make his first start of the season as Liverpool host Burnley at Anfield on Saturday.
Liverpool return to Premier League action on Saturday, following their first Champions League encounter in three years in midweek. With the Reds eyeing a return to winning ways against the Clarets, here’s the all-important team news for the Merseyside club.
Jurgen Klopp does not have any fresh injury concerns to deal with ahead of the visit of Burnley on Saturday. Adam Lallana (thigh) and Nathaniel Clyne (back) remain the only two absentees from the Liverpool manager’s squad, as both players continue recovering from their respective long-term injuries.
Klopp: “Adam could start running this week, or the beginning of next week. Clyney is improving a lot but I’m not sure when he can [return].” pic.twitter.com/QXCzYiPRAT
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 15, 2017
Klopp did provide an update on the duo’s recovery in his pre-match press conference, with a few positives to note. On Lallana he said, “They have to build; maybe Adam can start running this week or the beginning of next week.”
Clyne, though, is still some way off regaining fitness and while Klopp said that the defender is improving, he could not put a definitive time stamp on his return.
“Clyney is improving a lot but, in the moment when he could start training completely normal – I’m not sure about when it will be – he will need time for a kind of pre-season. That’s the situation.”
The major absentee from the Liverpool matchday squad, meanwhile, will be Sadio Mane. The Senegalese winger is unavailable for the rest of the month as he accrued a three-match ban after being sent off against Manchester City last week.
However, Philippe Coutinho is fit, available for selection and in contention to make his first start of the season on Saturday. The Brazilian made his first appearance for the Reds on Wednesday, from the bench, as he put the bitterness of the Barcelona transfer saga behind him.
Klopp: “[Phil Coutinho] trained outstanding in the few sessions we had together. For sure, he’s ready to think about [as a starter].” pic.twitter.com/dwsNKkHsMh
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 15, 2017
Speaking on Coutinho, Klopp said that the diminutive playmaker is ready to start a game, although he stopped just short of confirming the same. “You can build up and get minutes when you start,” he said. “It’s not the moment where I talk about the line-up of tomorrow, but he should be ready.”
Also likely to return to the starting lineup is Simon Mignolet, who gave way to Loris Karius for the Champions League match. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, meanwhile, is still looking for his first start in a Liverpool shirt, and could get so at Anfield on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Sean Dyche, in the Burnley dugout, has been struck with a cruel blow of having captain Tom Heaton sidelined for several months after he dislocated his shoulder last week. Nahki Wells (ankle) and Dean Marney (knee) are long-term absentees as well, but Jeff Hendrick is set to return.
