Jurgen Klopp provides fitness update on Liverpool duo Alisson and Jota ahead of Community Shield clash against Man City
Jurgen Klopp has provided a fitness update for a key Liverpool duo ahead of this weekend's Community Shield clash against Manchester City.
Last season's FA Cup winners will take on Pep Guardiola's Premier League champions at the King Power Stadium in Leicester. The Reds will be aiming for their first victory in English football's traditional curtain-raiser since 2006.
Jürgen Klopp confirms that Alisson will miss the Community Shield against Man City.
Another backup keeper with a trophy on the line ✋ https://t.co/YKmgfhu9f0
Ahead of the game, Klopp was asked whether or not Alisson or Diogo Jota would be fit enough to play in Saturday's clash. The Liverpool Echo quoted the German as saying:
"Alisson and Diogo no. Alisson trained today more than the day before so he will definitely be available for Fulham but not for the weekend. Diogo... it will take a while, unfortunately."
Alisson has only played 45 minutes in Liverpool's pre-season. With substitute goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher also unavailable, third-choice shot-stopper Adrian will step in for the game against City. The 35-year-old only made one appearance last season, which was in the EFL Cup victory over Championship side Preston.
BREAKING: Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp confirms Alisson will miss Saturday's Community Shield against Manchester City but will be fit for their Premier League opener against Fulham. https://t.co/txQ16T8NXD
Having been a revelation since his arrival from Wolves in 2020, Jota has scored 34 times in 85 appearances. The 25-year-old's status will be a concern for Liverpool supporters, with a hamstring injury keeping him out for much of the pre-season.
Jota injury 'a real concern' for Liverpool, according to medical expert
Jota picked up a hamstring injury while playing for Portugal in June. The forward now looks set to miss out on his side's opening day clash with Fulham next weekend.
The Athletic claims that Jota has undergone a scan to analyze if he has suffered a reoccurrence of the same injury, which greatly concerns medical expert Ben Dinnery.
Speaking to Football Insider, Dinnery proclaimed:
“This is a real concern. He picked up the injury playing for Portugal and he has picked up a recurrence in training. This calls into question massively his availability heading into game week one. At this moment in time, the chances are that he won’t be involved. You can’t afford too many slip-ups in this Premier League, especially given the fact that you’d expect City to start like a steam train."
"Liverpool, if they want to compete, are going to need to hit the ground running as well. Jota would normally be heavily involved in that. But unless we see him on the training pitch soon, it’s difficult to see him being involved in the early weeks of the season.”
21 goals
8 assists
⚽️21 goals
🅰️8 assists
9 of those goals and assists were against the Top 6.
Think people have forgotten how good Diogo Jota was last season. Unreal option to have 🔥 https://t.co/6VFzEN2Yhc