Jurgen Klopp provides fitness update on 3 Liverpool stars ahead of Sheffield United clash
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has provided an injury update on his squad ahead of their clash against Sheffield United on March 4.
The Reds host the Blades in the Premier League on Thursday as they look to continue their title push. The Merseysiders currently lead the table, sitting two points above Arsenal and three above Manchester City. Sheffield, meanwhile, are at the bottom of the table and look set to get relegated.
Ahead of the game, Klopp provided an injury update on Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diogo Jota and Alisson Becker. He said (via The Anfield Talk):
“The other boys…Diogo & Trent are together in the group. But looks like from next week on they’ll be in team training. The rest we will see. Alisson, no. Looks good as well…in his mind next week parts of team training.”
Alexander-Arnold has been out of action since February due to a torn lateral knee ligament. He has scored two goals and provided 10 assists in 29 games across competitions for Liverpool this season.
Alisson, meanwhile, has also been out since early February due to a hamstring injury. He kept nine clean sheets in 24 appearances across competitions. Jota registered 14 goals and four assists in 28 games before suffering a knee injury late in February.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp provides injury update on Joel Matip
Liverpool defender Joel Matip suffered an ACL injury in their 4-3 win over Fulham at Anfield in December. He has undergone surgery and will miss the remainder of the season.
Ahead of the Sheffield game, Jurgen Klopp provided an update on Matip, saying:
“Joel [is] running – he hates that! But he is able to run again, so that’s good.
“I think since he got injured this is the best moment because it was very painful in the beginning, very painful for him [but] he got through that and now he is pain-free. But, that now all takes time so I don’t think the season is long enough for him.”
Matip joined the Reds from Schalke 04 in 2016 and has made 201 appearances for them since, helping them win numerous trophies. The 32-year-old's contract expires in the summer and as per The Guardian, he could leave Anfield as a free agent.