"Out for weeks" - Jurgen Klopp drops injury update on three Liverpool superstars
Manager Jurgen Klopp has confirmed it will take several weeks for the superstar trio of Virgil van Dijk, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino to return to action for Liverpool.
Firmino has yet to feature for the Reds since the season restarted after the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He injured his calf in a training session last month and was expected to return to action for Liverpool's clash against Brentford on 2 January.
According to This Is Anfield, Firmino suffered a setback earlier this month which has sidelined him for a longer duration. Coincidentally, Van Dijk ended up injuring his hamstring in the 3-1 away defeat against the Bees and has since been sidelined.
Jota, meanwhile, picked up a calf issue in Liverpool's 1-0 league win against Manchester City on 16 October. When asked about the trio's return date ahead of his team's FA Cup fourth-round trip to the Amex on Sunday (29 January), Klopp replied (h/t Liverpool Echo):
Next up, we travel to Brighton for the @EmiratesFACup fourth round 💪 https://t.co/8kf4Xr4QEz
"Closer, yes. [Imminent] No. It will take another couple of weeks. Diogo [Jota], Bobby [Roberto Firmino], Virgil [van Dijk] a couple of weeks and then we have to see from there."
Luis Diaz (knee) and Arthur Melo (thigh) are also recovering from their respective long-term injuries. While injuries have added to the Reds' struggles this season, Klopp should have ample names to choose from when his team face Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend.
Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez are his options at centre-back, while Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah could start up front. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Harvey Elliott can also play down the flanks if required.
Jurgen Klopp says 3-0 Brighton loss was a 'horror show' Liverpool must learn from
Manager Jurgen Klopp labeled his team's 3-0 Premier League loss against Brighton & Hove Albion on 14 January a 'horror show'.
Brighton 3-0 Liverpool
Liverpool's season 🗑 https://t.co/po1hzE8GPA
The Reds were outplayed by the Seagulls at the Amex and returned to Merseyside with nothing to show for their efforts. The German tactician claims the staff doesn't plan on revisiting every incident from that defeat when discussing the game in the dressing room.
He added, via the aforementioned source:
"We won't show them all the situations from the Brighton game. It would be a proper horror show. It felt that bad for the players as well, it's about general change and improvement. You can lose a game but if you learn from it, it's important as well."
Liverpool won the FA Cup and EFL Cup last season, beating Chelsea on penalties on both occasions. They were dumped out of the latter by Manchester City earlier this month, but are still alive in the world's oldest national cup competition.