Chelsea

Liverpool Pre-Chelsea Team News: Klopp Confirms Mane Blow + Lallana & Clyne Updates

Jurgen Klopp has offered a team news update ahead of Liverpool’s crucial clash with Chelsea including the latest on Mane, Lallana and Clyne.

by
Fraser Crawford
January 30, 2017

Liverpool will be looking to close the gap on Chelsea with a win when they welcome the Premier League leaders to Anfield on Tuesday night.

Ahead of the game, Jurgen Klopp has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this afternoon and he’s given reporters a team news and injury update.

The big news Liverpool fans have been waiting to hear about is the possible availability of Sadio Mane but it seems there has been a delay in his return from the African Cup of Nations.

Mane was left devastated after missing the decisive spot kick as Senegal crashed out of the competition following a penalty shoot-out defeat to Cameroon on Saturday night.

Liverpool chartered a private jet in the hope of flying the attacker straight back to Merseyside on Sunday night, however, Klopp has revealed that a delay has meant Mane won’t arrive back in the UK until tonight.

The Reds boss will then assess the winger at Melwood on Tuesday morning and ‘look in his eyes’ before deciding whether Mane will be involved against Chelsea tomorrow night.

Klopp is quoted as saying by the Metro:

‘I don’t know exactly. Ray Haughan did outstanding job to get him back asap. He’s on the way back.

‘When he’s back here I need to look into his eyes and see what is possible.’

‘We thought Sadio could fly back yesterday, we had the plane there but he had to wait.He will be on the plane today, back tonight.’

Given that Mane will only arrive back from Gabon tonight it’s almost impossible to see him starting against Chelsea but there is still a chance he might be included on the bench and he’d be a great option to have if needed in the second half.

There was also positive news on the fitness of Adam Lallana as Klopp has confirmed that the midfielder is back in contention after recovering from a nasty cut which kept him out of Saturday’s shock FA Cup defeat to Wolves.

However, Nathaniel Clyne remains a doubt to face Chelsea as the full-back is still not able to train due to a niggling rib injury that’s kept him out of recent games, so Trent Alexander-Arnold is on stand-by to deputise at right-back.