Liverpool Team News: Klopp Confirms Triple Boost + Sturridge & Henderson Update

Jurgen Klopp has confirmed a triple injury boost ahead of Liverpool’s Europa League clash with Rubin Kazan on Thursday night and he’s also given an update on Daniel Sturridge among others.

The new Reds boss has been speaking to the media this afternoon as he prepares for his first game in charge at Anfield and he was pleased to confirm that Christian Benteke, Roberto Firmino and Dejan Lovren are in contention for the game after returning to full training.

Lovren has been on the sidelines with an ankle injury in recent weeks after suffering the problem while on international duty earlier this month but the Croatian international is now in line to return to the squad tomorrow night.

The defender could be joined by summer signing Firmino after the playmaker recovered from a back injury that he picked up during Liverpool’s Capital One Cup clash with Carlisle last month.

Benteke has missed Liverpool’s last five matches after being substituted at half-time during their 1-1 draw with Norwich City last month after picking up a hamstring injury. However, the Belgian international is also back in full training with the rest of the first team squad and could play some part against Kazan tomorrow night.

It will come as a major boost for Klopp to have Benteke, Firmino and Lovren available again but the German coach admitted that the trio are unlikely to start so they may be used as impact substitutes from the bench.

Benteke’s return comes at the perfect time as Klopp also confirmed that Daniel Sturridge will miss the game as he continues to nurse a knee injury that kept him out of the 0-0 draw at Tottenham on Saturday.

The striker was out on the training pitch on Tuesday but the Kazan game will come too soon so Sturridge is aiming to return to action against Southampton on Sunday.

Klopp also revealed that striker Danny Ings and young defender Joe Gomez had successful operations on their cruciate knee ligament injuries and will now begin the long road to recovery.

The Liverpool boss says Jordan Henderson is progressing well in his recovery from a foot injury while Jon Flanagan is also edging closer to full fitness after his long battle with a knee injury, but Jordan Rossiter isn’t expected back until after the international break next month after picking up a hamstring injury while away with the England U21 squad.

Klopp told LiverpoolFC.com:

“We have three players back in training – Benteke, Firmino and Lovren,”

“That’s good, more options, not really starting options but for the squad. Yesterday they joined team training and it was OK.

“Now we will see what we need for this game, who we’ll take with us and who will stay here for more training. But, of course, it’s very good for us that these players are back.”

“Sturridge is getting better and better. Yesterday he was outside for the first time since Saturday. It was OK and the target for him is Sunday, for sure. That’s what we’ll try to do.

“[Danny] Ings and [Joe] Gomez had their operations, they were as positive as operations can be. Everything is fine and they are on their way back. There were no difficulties or complications.

“[Jordan] Henderson and [Jon] Flanagan are getting better and better.

“[Jordan] Rossiter, I don’t think he’ll be ready to play until after the next international break. He’s a young player, a big talent and it would be cool for him if he was now with us, but he can’t.”

Liverpool head in to tomorrow night’s game sitting second in Group B on two points following draws with Bordeaux and FC Sion so Klopp will be desperate to give their qualification hopes a boost with a win in his first game in charge at Anfield.