Jurgen Klopp could be without as many as six first-team players as Liverpool prepare to face AFC Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday.
Liverpool will be desperate to return to winning ways when they take the trip to the south coast to face Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday. Ahead of the tie, Jurgen Klopp has a mixed bag as far as his side’s injury concerns are concerned.
Alberto Moreno (ankle), Joel Matip (adductor) and Nathaniel Clyne (back) are three players who are certain to miss the game on Sunday. But, the Liverpool boss announced in his pre-match press conference that the trio have returned to training in some capacity, although they are all yet to regain complete fitness.
“Joel is on a good way, running outside. [He is] not available for the weekend, of course. The same for Clyney. [Moreno] has no chance for Sunday. I saw him yesterday on the bike – good but not good enough.”
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Apart from the three aforementioned players, Emre Can is unavailable too, due to a one-match ban. Klopp though, is also sweating over the fitness of Daniel Sturridge (hamstring) and Joe Gomez (knock), who are both major doubts. But, James Milner and Andrew Robertson are expected to shrug off their knocks.
“Daniel, we have to wait [to see] how he improved since yesterday. [We have] a few little things, with Joe [Gomez], knocks from the game. Joe had a little bit before, that’s why we left him out. But he should be OK. Millie and Robbo, a few knocks from the game, should be OK.”
Finally, a bit of a positive update for the Liverpool boss, with Simon Mignolet set to return after recovering from a swollen ankle. Adam Lallana has regained fitness too, and is likely to be involved in the matchday squad, with a chance to feature as well.
“Adam is back in full and normal training; if nothing changed since yesterday then he will be ready for the squad at least. And Simon [Mignolet] is OK again.”
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe, on the other hand, has just three players missing ahead of the visit of Liverpool, with Brad Smith (hip), Adam Federici and Tyrone Mings (both back) on the treatment table.