New year headache for Klopp with Thiago to miss Christmas
LIVERPOOL v AJAX 8PM, BT SPORT 2
THIAGO ALCANTARA’S recovery from a knee problem is likely to keep him out of the Liverpool squad until January, adding to Jurgen Klopp’s injury problems and leaving the coach worried he does not have enough fit players.
The Spain international has not played since last month’s Merseyside derby when he was injured in a tackle which saw Everton forward Richarlison sent off.
Ahead of tonight’s Champions League visit of Ajax, boss Jurgen Klopp said: ‘Thiago we have to maybe clarify it a little bit. On that day when Thiago got injured in that challenge in the Everton game, there was another bad injury (to Virgil van Dijk) and after the scans it was like one was really bad news and the other one was really good news because nothing was broken, nothing was ruptured. ‘But, as we realise now, it was still a massive impact on the knee. I can’t say exactly when he will be fine, but it will take a few weeks still with Thiago.’
With utility man James Milner also in the treatment room with a hamstring problem, Klopp says he is in no position to rotate: ‘I don’t have enough players to prioritise. It’s not about the competition; it’s about the players. On Saturday, the fittest players played. It’s not a perfect situation but obviously not enough people want to offer us any kind of help (with the fixture schedule), not only for us but all football people. We just have to deal with it.’
A draw tonight will be enough for Liverpool to qualify for the knockout stage and give Klopp an opportunity to rest players in the final group match against Midtjylland. ‘I don’t see it in that perspective,’ said Klopp. ‘It is an important game against a good team.’