Liverpool has been hit with multiple injury concerns ahead of their crucial Premier League clash against Manchester City on Sunday. The Reds will be without three key players for this match, including midfielder Naby Keita who suffered an injury while on international duty with Guinea.
Keita faces potential lay-off
Keita was substituted at halftime during Guinea’s AFCON qualifying match against Ethiopia and has not trained with Liverpool since returning to Merseyside. Liverpool is awaiting a full diagnosis of the injury, but Keita is likely to miss upcoming Premier League matches against Manchester City and Chelsea. This is unfortunate news for Jurgen Klopp who was hoping to have a fully fit squad for the final stretch of the season.
Liverpool’s injury and fitness concerns
In addition to Keita, Liverpool also has Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Thiago Alcantara, and Nathaniel Phillips dealing with injuries. Diaz and Nunez both had previous injury concerns, but have trained fully this week and are expected to be available for the Manchester City match. However, there is uncertainty if Diaz will start.
Cody Gakpo is also expected to be assessed by Liverpool’s medical team to see whether he is fit to play against Manchester City. Thiago Alcantara has been sidelined with a hip flexor injury since early February, and there is uncertainty over when he will be fit to return. Calvin Ramsay suffered a knee injury and won’t be available until preseason training in July.
Klopp rules out Thiago, Keita, and Williams for clash against Manchester City
In a press conference ahead of the match, Klopp ruled out Thiago, Keita, and Phillips for their match against Manchester City. Thiago is dealing with an issue with his hip flexor and is not part of team training yet, while Keita has a muscle injury from the national team. Phillips has a little bit of an illness, but the stomach bugs have stopped.
Thiago’s absence is a blow for Liverpool as his creativity and ballplaying skills are key for the Reds. Keita is reported to be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season and has only made 13 appearances due to muscle and hamstring problems. Phillips has not made an appearance for Liverpool this season and was previously on loan at Blackpool Town.
Klopp prepares for all possibilities
Klopp was asked about the potential impact of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland’s absence, but he responded by saying they prepare for all possibilities and never know 100% who can play. Liverpool is currently in sixth place and needs to make up ground on Tottenham Hotspur in fourth place.
The injury setbacks are a major setback for Liverpool who must win this match to have any chance of making it into next season’s Champions League. It is yet to be seen if Klopp can come up with a strategy to overcome their injury concerns against the impressive Manchester City side.
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