Liverpool Team News: Klopp Confirms Fresh Injury Doubt But Star Set To Return

Liverpool will look to book their place in the final of the Capital One Cup when they take a 1-0 lead in to tomorrow night’s Capital One Cup semi final second leg with Stoke City at Anfield.

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

The German coach was pleased to reveal that Dejan Lovren is set to return to the squad after missing the last three weeks with a hamstring injury that he sustained in the first leg at the Britannia Stadium earlier this month.

Lovren has been able to take part in full training with the rest of the squad this week, however, Klopp has hinted that the Croatian may not be ready to start just yet so Kolo Toure and Mamadou Sakho could continue at the back tomorrow night.

It wasn’t all positive news though as Klopp also revealed that Nathaniel Clyne is a doubt for the game after suffering a knee injury during Saturday’s dramatic 5-4 victory over Norwich City at Carrow Road.

The England international will be assessed ahead of tomorrow’s game but Klopp is keen to have him available as he’s hesitant to start Jon Flanagan just yet as the young full-back has only just returned from 18 months on the sidelines.

The Reds boss told the clubs website:

“Dejan, after three weeks he trained yesterday, a complete session with the team,”

“It was good, but after three weeks we have to see. If nothing happens in the next 24 hours with Kolo [Toure] or Mama [Sakho] then I think we should do it again because Steven [Caulker] can’t play.

“That’s not too good – you can buy players in January but if you’re still in the cup you can’t use them!”

“Clyney got a knock on the knee. He is a really tough boy, he is always available, but I think today it will not work for training,” Klopp added.

“We don’t do too much, of course, but I think we should leave him out of training. We have to see what will happen overnight and make a decision but it’s not too easy because we have only Flanno.

“We all love Flanno but he had a long time [out] and 90 minutes or more is maybe not the best thing. But if there’s an opportunity we would like to try it.

“He is ready but of course it would be better if Clyney got fit.”

Elsewhere, Daniel Sturridge is still working his way back to full fitness after another frustrating injury-plagued campaign so he remains on the sidelines with Philippe Coutinho, Martin Skrtel, Divock Origi, Joe Gomez and Danny Ings.