Jurgen Klopp does not have any fresh injury concerns to contend with as Liverpool prepare to host West Bromwich Albion at Anfield on Wednesday.
Liverpool play hosts to a struggling West Bromwich Albion side at Anfield on Wednesday, looking to get back to winning ways after a disappointing draw in the Merseyside derby. Ahead of the encounter, Jurgen Klopp does not have any fresh injuries hampering his preparations, with five players unavailable.
Of those five, Adam Lallana is back in full training, although Klopp is eager to manage his comeback efficiently to help the Englishman build up full sharpness. The Liverpool boss confirmed the same in his pre-match press conference, adding that he hopes to have Lallana back to 100 per cent soon.
“Adam is back in training completely normally but of course he needs to build up again. That’s how it is. But he is good. He trains completely normally. We have to see what we do with him because we need him for the next few weeks, 100 per cent. We should not need him for tomorrow.”
Alberto Moreno (ankle) and Joel Matip (thigh) are on the treatment table, with neither player any closer to returning to full training, while Nathaniel Clyne (back) and Adam Bogdan (ACL) remain long-term absentees. Klopp provided an update on Moreno, informing that the Spaniard could be out for up to six weeks.
Klopp on Lallana and Matip: “Adam is back in training, completely normal, we have to see what we do with him. Joel is not training. He’s running but he needs a bit longer.” pic.twitter.com/4MwN6Yx9X7
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 12, 2017
“Not really, no. He’s not ready for sure – no chance. We will make further assessments in the moment, we will send him to different doctors just to know a little bit more. It’s still possible it’s not that long, it’s possible it is up to six weeks. We will have to see.”
On Matip’s situation, Klopp said that there’s still some time before the defender returns to training,
“Joel is not in training. He is running, nothing more. That means it takes a little bit longer.”
Klopp also mentioned that there are a few knocks that he hopes will be overcome by Wednesday, including the team’s talisman Mohamed Salah, who is carrying a slight niggle in his hamstring. As reported by The Guardian, the Egyptian could be next in line for rotation.
“I took Mo Salah off because he felt the hamstring a little bit. Then everyone said: ‘How can you take him off?’ I do not go out and say: ‘Because he is close to being injured.’ He is not injured at the moment, thank God. Hopefully we took him off early enough.”
West Brom manager Alan Pardew, on the other hand, is without Craig Dawson (knee), James Morrison (Achilles) and Nacer Chadli (thigh). Matt Phillips (hamstring) and Gareth Barry (thigh) are doubtful, and the duo will require late fitness tests to determine their availability.
