Milner, Sturridge blow for Liverpool

LONDON: James Milner and Daniel Sturridge could miss Liverpool’s Premier League opener against Arsenal tomorrow due to injury, manager Jürgen Klopp said yesterday.

Sturridge, who has made just 18 league starts over the past two seasons, picked up a hip injury ahead of last Saturday’s friendly against Barcelona, and Milner sustained a heel problem during the 4-0 victory over the Spanish champions.

“(Sturridge) had a few days where he couldn’t train and that’s not too good for the Arsenal game but we have other players available,” Klopp said.

Milner, who has announced his retirement from England international duty, made 28 league starts last season. He captained Liverpool against Barcelona before being replaced after 42 minutes.

“It’s better than we expected after the (Barcelona) game when we saw him walking out of the stadium on crutches. That’s not the best picture you want to see,” Klopp said.

“(We are taking) no risk at the moment. We have to wait until everybody says we can go on and that’s what we’ll do.”

Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is confident new signing Rob Holding can help them overcome their mounting defensive problems after confirming that injured Per Mertesacker and Gabriel Paulista face long spells on the sidelines.

Wenger said German Mertesacker would be out for around four months after injuring his knee in a friendly against Lens in July and Brazilian Gabriel for six to eight weeks with an ankle injury.

France defender Laurent Koscielny is also unavailable for the first game of the season after only returning to training this week following his participation in Euro 2016.

Wenger said Holding, 20, signed from third-tier Bolton Wanderers, could start against Liverpool.

“I have a few options we have seen in pre-season,” Wenger said.

“That’s basically the players we have available at the moment. They are quite young but have a great desire to do well.”

Wenger said he would also be willing to sign another defender should he find a “top quality” option.

Valencia’s Shkodran Mustafi has been linked with a move to the club by the British media.

Meanwhile, Manchester United will be without world-record signing Paul Pogba for their Premier League opener against Bournemouth tomorrow due to a suspension, the Football Association said yesterday.

Pogba signed for United for £89 million (about R1.55 billion) on Tuesday, but will have to wait to make his debut after the FA named the France international as one of four players who will be suspended for the opening weekend.

Pogba’s suspension has been carried over from Juventus’s Italian Cup campaign last season where he picked up bookings in the semi-final against Inter Milan and the final victory over AC Milan. – Reuters