Liverpool News: Xherdan Shaqiri and Joel Matip ruled out of Reds' Champions League clash against RB Salzburg
What's the story?
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that the Reds will be without the services of Xherdan Shaqiri and Joel Matip for their Champions League group stage clash against Red Bull Salzburg tonight.
In case you didn't know...
Liverpool have struggled to mirror their incredible Premier League start in the Champions League.
The Merseyside giants suffered a 2-0 loss to Napoli in their opening game as Dries Mertens and Fernando Llorente both found the back of the net to secure all three points for the Italian giants.
Matip has formed a solid partnership with Virgil van Dijk at the centre of Liverpool's defence but the former Schalke man unfortunately picked up an injury during the Reds' league win over Sheffield United last weekend.
Meanwhile, Shaqiri has been on the sidelines due to a calf injury and missed last week's third-round League Cup tie at MK Dons and also the Premier League clash against Shefield United.
The heart of the matter
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Klopp confirmed the absence of Shaqiri and Matip from the squad. He said,
"Both not available for tomorrow night.
"Shaq will not be ready for tomorrow, but I don't know exactly how it looks in the moment because he's still in the hands of the medical department.
"With Joel, it's not a big one, but it's big enough that he's not available for tomorrow night. We don't want to [take] any risks and we don't have to take any risks, and that's why he will not be involved."
The former Borussia Dortmund manager also commented on Alisson Becker's recovery.
"The training he is doing, he looks really well. But it was a serious injury and we don't want to take any risks, that's how it is.
"So for [Salzburg], no chance because he didn't train so far with the team. Then we have to see for Leicester and then the [Manchester] United game probably 100 per cent. But we will see."
What's next?
Joe Gomez is likely to start in place of Matip as Liverpool hope to bounce back from their loss at Napoli and secure their first Champions League win of the season against RB Salzburg tonight.