Liverpool Team News: Striker Fit To Face Tottenham But Attacker Faces Late Test

Jurgen Klopp has offered the latest team news as Liverpool prepare to welcome title-chasing Tottenham Hotspur to Anfield on Saturday evening.

The Reds boss held his pre-match press conference at Melwood this afternoon and he confirmed to Liverpoolfc.com that Christian Benteke will miss the game tomorrow.

The striker pulled out of the Belgian squad during the international break last week after suffering a knee injury in training and Klopp says that while he doesn’t know the full extent of the injury just yet, Benteke is certain to miss the Spurs game this weekend.

In a double blow, Liverpool could also be without influential playmaker Roberto Firmino as he’s still nursing a hamstring injury that kept him out of the Southampton game before the international break.

Klopp is ready to give the Brazilian international every chance to prove his fitness and will make a decision ahead of the game on Saturday but the Reds boss admits that it will be a close call as to whether Firmino makes it.

However, there was some more positive news regarding the fitness of Divock Origi as the striker has been passed fit to face Tottenham despite pulling out of the Belgian squad with a minor thigh injury.

Klopp told the clubs website:

“We had smaller or bigger problems with the Belgian national players. Divock Origi could not play the games for Belgium because of a little muscle issue.

“He has been back in complete training since yesterday, so he is available.

“It’s completely different with Christian Benteke. In this moment he is not available and we have to wait for further assessments to know exactly how long it will be. But for this game for sure, he has no chance.

“Roberto Firmino will be close. We have to make a decision, maybe tomorrow – we will see. It’s another 24 hours but we cannot bring pressure in this situation and we have to wait to see how he feels and other things.

“Most of the players came back [from internationals] healthy, that’s cool.”

Liverpool head in to the Spurs game knowing they face a tough task to force their way in to the top four as they currently sit ninth in the table and seven points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester City but a win tomorrow would give their hopes a major boost.