LONDON • Given the amount of football he has missed this season, Thiago Alcantara will be like a January signing for Liverpool but his imminent return cannot come sooner for the Premier League champions, who are in the midst of an injury crisis.
The Spain international has made only two top-flight appearances since arriving at Anfield in September from Bayern Munich.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp revealed at his virtual press conference before today’s league game at Newcastle that Thiago was making encouraging progress towards full fitness, but will not be pressed back into first-team action until he has completed a few more training sessions.
“On Friday, he trained the full session but it was a reduced session,” he told reporters yesterday.
“He has to be part of team training, it’s not about training one day with the team and then you can play football in the Premier League again. It looks quite promising in the moment.”
Liverpool, who sit three points above second-placed Leicester (29), missed an opportunity to extend their lead on Sunday after dropping points at home for the first time this season.
Following their 1-1 draw with West Brom, Klopp warned his players to be cautious to avoid similar results, starting at St James’ Park.
Already, they have 11 points fewer than at this stage last term.
“We are not happy about it, we are actually the opposite, but now it’s over,” he said. “We cannot change that anymore, we just can make sure that in exactly the same situation, it doesn’t happen exactly the same again.”
Aside from Thiago, Joel Matip, Naby Keita, Diogo Jota, Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez will all miss the trip to Tyneside.
Newcastle have their own injury problems as well, with Ryan Fraser ruled out as well as captain Jamaal Lascelles and Allan Saint-Maximin, both of whom are out indefinitely after suffering from the long-term effects of Covid-19.
Elsewhere, Tottenham host Fulham today with Spurs boss Jose Mourinho confirming that he will be without Gareth Bale due to a calf injury that is set to keep him on the sidelines for a “few weeks”.
He added yesterday: “Also I have my doubts that Lucas (Moura) and (Carlos) Vinicius can be fit for Fulham.”
Opposite number Scott Parker will, however, return to the Cottagers’ dugout after he missed their last game as he was self-isolating following a family member’s positive test for Covid-19.
REUTERS
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