Liverpool Team News: Klopp Confirms Injury Boost, Duo To Start + Defender A Doubt

Liverpool will look to keep the pressure on the top four with a win when they take on Stoke City at the Bet365 Stadium on Wednesday night.

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

The Reds boss was pleased to confirm that Emre Can is back in contention after the German midfielder missed the 1-1 draw with Chelsea at the weekend with a muscular injury.

Klopp made some unexpected changes to his starting eleven on Saturday with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Daniel Sturridge handed rare starts as Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were dropped to the bench.

The Liverpool boss says it ‘made sense’ to use the depth of his squad against Chelsea but dropped a huge hint that Mane and Firminio will be restored to the starting eleven for the trip to Stoke tomorrow night.

The final update from Klopp was regarding Dejan Lovren and the centre-back will be assessed at Melwood this afternoon as he looks to recover from a back problem.

Lovren missed the Chelsea game due to the minor injury and Klopp says he still has some swelling but will be ‘close’ to returning to action tomorrow night.

Klopp told reporters:

Klopp on Mane and Firmino: "It made sense at this part of the season to use the strength of the squad. It's not completely unlikely they will start [against Stoke]." pic.twitter.com/dH3D1kabmK

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 28, 2017

Klopp on Lovren: "He will be close. Bit of swelling. He will try to run in a few minutes. Emre Can is back in the squad for sure."

— James Pearce (@JamesPearceEcho) November 28, 2017

Liverpool head in to the midweek round of fixtures sitting sixth in the table after drawing with Chelsea but they are just two points adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal so Klopp will be desperate to close the gap with a win over Stoke.