Klopp Confirms Double Injury Boost Ahead Of Arsenal Clash + Henderson/Milner Update

Liverpool will look to close in on the top four when they entertain Premier League leaders Arsenal at Anfield 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 given Liverpoolfc.com a team news and injury update.

The Reds boss was pleased to confirm a double injury boost with Kolo Toure set to return versus his former club while Mamdou Sakho is also pushing for a recall to the starting eleven.

Toure missed the FA Cup draw at Exeter on Friday night after suffering cramp during the Capital One Cup win at Stoke City last week but the Ivorian is now fit and available to face the Gunners.

The 34-year-old could be joined at the back by Sakho with Klopp confirming the Frenchman wants to feature at Anfield on Wednesday after returning to full training having picked up a knee injury against West Ham last weekend – although the Reds boss is yet to decide whether to recall the defender just yet.

Klopp also gave an update on Martin Skrtel and the Slovakian defender is still ‘a few weeks away’ from returning from his hamstring injury while James Milner is still building up his fitness in training after missing the last six matches with a calf injury.

Dejan Lovren was forced off against Stoke last week with a hamstring injury and although the defender said to be feeling ‘good’, the Liverpool boss suggests it’s too soon to take a risk on him.

It looks like Jordan Henderon and Jordon Ibe could be closing in on making their comebacks from ankle and hamstring injuries as Klopp described them as ‘good news’ – although the Reds boss didn’t divulge any further details.

Here is what Klopp is quoted as saying:

“The situation now is better than it was two or three days ago because I think Kolo will be available, so we will have a senior centre-back.

“Mama wants to be available, hopefully we can use him and then we’ll see.

“Martin is still a few weeks and Dejan feels good but the time of his injury was January 5 at Stoke, so it’s only been six days until now and eight until Arsenal and United will be 12. It’s close and there’ll be a moment when we have to decide if it’s risk, or if it’s a risk we could try. But it’s not the moment for this and we have to wait.

“That’s the situation, so we will probably have Kolo and Mama and the next one is Lucas [at centre-back].”

Klopp added: “Jordon Ibe, Jordan Henderson and Mama, who I spoke about, is three [pieces of ] good news.

“Millie [Milner] was, but we left him at home when we were in Exeter. He is still in training. They are all good news.”

Liverpool head into the Arsenal game sitting eighth in the Premier League table so Klopp will be hoping the return of Toure and possibly Sakho will give them a big boost as they look to secure a win and close-in on the top four.