Jurgen Klopp Liverpool
Here’s the latest team and injury news for this week’s opposition.
Luis Diaz
The January signing made his first appearance for the club at the weekend but required treatment after a challenge from a Cardiff player. Jurgen Klopp however said the winger was ‘fine’ after the game.
Jurgen Klopp said: “He has a cut and a bruise – everybody told him ‘welcome to England! He will maybe have a little scar to remember his first game, but he is all good. All fine.”
Harvey Elliott
The 18-year-old made a goalscoring return to action against Cardiff after missing the last five months with a dislocated ankle, meaning he could be available against City.
Jurgen Klopp said: “He was unlucky with the injury, but then lucky with the whole process afterwards. He did an incredible job, and the medical department did an incredible job. He was patient enough and desperate enough to come back. Harvey is fearless. He dealt with his injury perfectly – he is back and it is really nice.”
Mo Salah
Salah has returned to training with Liverpool ahead of Thursday’s game after taking part in the Africa Cup of Nations final for Egypt against Senegal. Speaking of the player’s availability against City, Klopp confirmed that he could be in contention to play.
Jurgen Klopp said: “Mo is now back, I spoke already to him. He is very disappointed of course, but looking forward to all the things coming up here now. I spoke to him and pretty much the first thing Mo told me was: ‘I’m ready.’ Haha! He is an experienced player, he is a physical monster, to be honest, so we have to see. He will obviously have a little recovery session today and we will see how he feels tomorrow and from there we go.
Sadio Mane
While Salah could be involved, the Liverpool boss has ruled out Mane, who also took part in the final. The forward though came out on the winning side alongside City midfielder Papy Mendy.
Jurgen Klopp added: “Yes, yes. Sadio no chance as he’s not even here, but Mo yes. Sadio flies out if it’s possible on Wednesday night, so will arrive here on Thursday but he is, of course, then not involved in the Leicester game. It means the world to him, it means the world to his people, it means the world to Senegal and we respect that a lot and we would never consider to have called him back from there or whatever – let them do what they do in the moment because they deserve it.”
Divock Origi
The striker has missed the last seven Premier League games with a knee injury and was again ruled out of the weekend’s FA Cup clash vs Cardiff, although it seems that the Belgian is making progress.
Jurgen Klopp said: “Divock, yesterday, first time team training, looked very good, but it was the first time after a while, so from here we go as well.”
