Portugal international Jota returned from injury to make his mark at Turf Moor, doubling Liverpool’s lead after latching on to Luis Diaz’s clever pass. Virgil van Dijk and young prospect Jarell Quansah continue their partnership at centre-back. With so many notable absentees, the Reds once again put in a spectacular performance without their most outstanding star. With three games remaining in 10 days until the start of 2024, the Reds’ skills and fight may be put to the test again.This is what Klopp’s team usually looks like. Costas Tsimikas Alexis McAllister Joel Matip Andy Robertson Ben Doak Thiago Alcantara
Liverpool beat Burnley 2-0 on Boxing Day and are firmly back at the top of the Premier League. Goals from Darwin Núñez and Diogo Jota gave Jurgen Klopp’s side the lead as they closed in on 20 matches. After dominating most of the game in Lancashire, Newcastle United look forward to New Year’s Day with a sense of responsibility to continue to build momentum.
Now they will only be on the field for four more days.
The Greek defender was subbed off on Saturday after a nasty collision with Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka. After being brought down by Saka, he collided with Klopp on the touchline and immediately appeared to be in serious pain. After Saturday’s 1-1 draw, the Liverpool manager confirmed it was not good news for Tsimikas. Klopp: “He (Tsimikas) has at least broken his spine. It’s very bad for us.”Estimated Return Date: Unknown
Mac Allister is close to returning to action after picking up a knee injury in the match at Bramall Lane earlier this month, which ruled him out of action. Initially considered to be undersized, the Argentine’s condition deteriorated more than initially feared, causing him to miss several matches. However, Klopp was optimistic about Mac Allister’s current situation on Friday: “Mac and Diogo are getting closer, but they are not ready for tomorrow, that’s all.”Estimated return date: January
Liverpool defender Joel Matip is recovering from ACL surgery. The 32-year-old, who is in the final month of his contract at Anfield, could miss the rest of the season.Left on the Anfield pitch after an off-the-ball incident in the 70th minute of the 4–3 win over Fulham. “It was a torn cruciate ligament, but unfortunately I expected that to happen from the start. Everything looked like this. “It’s very sad,” Klopp said.Estimated return date: 2024/25 season
Liverpool defender Andy Robertson is set to make a timely return after injuring his shoulder against Scotland in January. The Tartan Army captain had to have surgery on a dislocated shoulder and has been out of action ever since. He missed out on the Reds’ emergence as Premier League rivals and Scotland’s successful Euro 2024 bid. Discussing the state of Scotland earlier this week, Klopp said: “I spent a long time with him yesterday and he is very good. The problem is that there are no shoulders. The rest of your body is fine, but you still need to be patient. You still have to be patient, but everything will be fine.“So he can already do all the physical work. It’s a bit annoying because you can’t do ball drills, small passes etc, but it’s not fair. But if he’s physically fit to walk and allowed to walk shoulder to shoulder, I think it’s only a matter of time before he comes back. We’re all hoping it’s January, but I don’t know.”Estimated return date: January
Ben Doak was recently ruled out of the under-21 game against Chelsea with a knee injury. It is a big shock that Doak will be participating in both the Carabao Cup and the Europa League.The Scots are not expected to return anytime soon. Liverpool assistant coach Pep Lijnders said of his situation: “He’s not good. He’s torn his lateral meniscus and needed surgery. “He’s taking a long time. He’s young, he’s a good guy, he’s a positive guy, so he’ll definitely come back stronger and we need him to come back with the same passion he had when he had the ball. “I need time and I’m waiting,” he said.Estimated Return Date: Unknown
Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara has not featured for the Reds since their win over West Ham United in April.Hip pain became a problem for the tenacious midfielder, who underwent surgery to correct the problem. Thiago was last updated in November, with Klopp hoping to restart the number six in January.”This is an ongoing process.” The manager of the Reds explained. “And we can’t publish anything of any kind.
