Klopp’s Team News Update: Key Duo Ruled Out, Defender Could Return + Coutinho Boost

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has offered Liverpoolfc.com a team news and injury update ahead of tomorrow evening’s FA Cup clash with West Ham at Anfield.

The German coach gave the latest on striker Daniel Sturridge and unfortunately it looks like he’s going to miss at least another two matches as he continues to work his way back to full fitness.

Sturridge has endured another frustrating season that’s been plagued by injury problems and Klopp has revealed that the 26-year-old is still not able to train freely without feeling discomfort of some sort.

The Reds boss has ruled Sturridge out of tomorrow’s FA Cup clash with West Ham as well as the huge Premier League game at Leicester City next Tuesday night and he’s unable to give any indication as to when the striker will return.

Klopp also revealed that Jordan Henderson could miss the Hammers game after being forced off early in the second half during Tuesday’s Capital One Cup game with Stoke City.

The Liverpool skipper has only recently returned from a lengthy absence due to a long-standing heel injury and Klopp says the midfielder is still feeling pain, so it’s not clear whether he’ll be risked tomorrow.

However, there was some positive news as it looks as though Nathaniel Clyne could be back in contention with the defender feeling ‘much better’ after missing the Stoke game with a minor knee injury.

There was also a positive update on the fitness of Philippe Coutinho with Klopp confirming that the Brazilian playmaker is close to returning to training after several weeks out with a hamstring injury.

Dejan Lovren is expected to start after returning from a hamstring injury while Steven Caulker could make his full debut in defence, however, Martin Skrtel remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Klopp told the clubs website:

“No news [on Sturridge]. There’s not really something to tell you, to be honest,”

“He’s still working; sometimes it’s better and sometimes it’s a bit worse because of one or the other issues. He did a lot of sessions in the last few weeks but it’s always interrupted through a few breaks. He needs consistency in sessions and that’s what we try to do.

“That’s normal [when you have] injury history. It’s not coincidence, some things are not right if you are injured that often. We have to be really sensitive with all the information we get and that’s what we try to do.

“We [try to] find a point from which we can really train and build up fitness. He could do a lot of sessions in the last few weeks but, how I said, always interrupted through a few different issues where we always have to wait for what will happen. That’s how it is.

“There’s no doubt that he’s a very, very good player, how everybody knows. But in this moment – and that’s how I understand it – he is not available so we don’t have to talk too much about him because he is not here.

“He cannot play tomorrow and for sure not against Leicester and I don’t know what happens after this to be honest.”

“Dejan, it’s good news. Dejan was on the bench against Stoke and is now back. Steve Caulker is not injured but he couldn’t play the last game and now he’s available for the FA Cup. He’s like a new player.

“[Coutinho] is close to returning to training but he’s not in the team training [yet]. He [will finish] his last two-three sessions with rehab and then he will be back on the pitch with us.

“[Skrtel?] no. Nathaniel, possibly, but we are not sure. He is much better, it was knee against knee and that’s really painful. There’s no doubt about the [durability] of Clyney. I asked him, ‘One is no pain, ten is big, big pain – where are we?’ and he said seven!

“Maybe you should have a rest, then. But now it’s three, two, one, hopefully zero and we will see. He will train today and we will know more about this.

“Hendo can be an option. He did really well for the team in a difficult time with a long-term injury, still having problems, only pain but it’s always pain.

“We now are on a really good way but we need to use these two days and hopefully he has recovered after an intensive time and is back in the race.”

Liverpool head into the West Ham game off the back of Tuesday’s cruelling Capital One Cup penalty shoot-out victory over Stoke and Klopp is set to ring the changes with several of his key men given a well-earned breather tomorrow afternoon.