Klopp gives Liverpool injury update as new blow confirmed - "Doesn't look good"

05 December 2023 , 15:41

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Klopp gives Liverpool injury update as new blow confirmed - "Doesn't look good"

Jurgen Klopp is expecting Joel Matip to face an extended spell on the sidelines after admitting the centre half’s knee injury, sustained in Sunday’s dramatic win against Fulham, “does not look good.”

And ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Sheffield United, who have just welcomed Chris Wilder back as manager, Klopp will also remain without forward Diogo Jota and goalkeeper Alisson, who were both injured in the draw away to Manchester City.

The Reds boss will not know the exact amount of time Matip will be sidelined for until after he has a scan. But Klopp said: “No, I don’t know exactly [how long] but it doesn’t look good, that’s something we can say.

“The scan is not done yet so we don’t know exactly, but it’s not great. From the first second it was clear, we spoke to him and said, ‘No, that’s not good.’ But how long, I don’t know.”

Both Jota and Alisson, who have had respective hamstring issues, are on the mend. However the visit to Bramall Lane comes too soon. Klopp added: “[Jota] was running yesterday, outside, on his birthday. Everything is going in the right direction but he is not in team training. Alisson is closer but will not be involved tomorrow.”

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That will mean Caoimhin Kelleher is set to continue between the posts. The Ireland stopper came in for some criticism for his performance in the 4-3 win over Fulham but Klopp is fully behind him and said the mistake that led to Fulham’s second was a consequence of the team’s philosophy more than anything else.

“I think he played a really good game [against Fulham] but then we concede two goals,” Klopp said. “The Harry Wilson one was an unlucky one. The second one, our goalkeeping coach and Ali said, we are front-footed goalkeepers. These kind of things happen, it's nothing to do with quality, it's a philosophy thing.

“Just keep going, do the same things. We can expect good set-pieces against Sheffield United, we can expect the better we press the more long balls they will have to play, wide free-kicks, these sorts of things. We need him to be there, offensive, and get off his line. Besides that, absolutely fine with everything.”

Liverpool are unbeaten against the struggling Blades for 20 years and have won the past four meetings between the sides.

Alan Smith