Liverpool Team News: Klopp Confirms Injury Boost Ahead Of Chelsea + Lallana Update

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has confirmed Joel Matip should be fit to face Chelsea on Saturday plus he’s offered an update on the fitness of Adam Lallana.

The Reds flew out to Spain this afternoon ahead of their Champions League group stage clash with Sevilla and Matip was left back on Merseyside to work on his fitness.

The Cameroonian centre-back was forced to miss Liverpool’s 3-0 victory over Southampton on Saturday due to a thigh injury that he sustained in training last week.

However, it seems the injury isn’t serious as Klopp has revealed that while Matip isn’t available to face Sevilla he should recover in time to take on Chelsea next weekend.

The defender is taking part in full-training at Melwood while the rest of the squad are in Spain so Klopp is confident Matip will be available for the visit of Chelsea to Anfield on Saturday evening.

Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com:

“The squad looks good. They are pretty much all here from the normal squad, apart from Joel. He is in Liverpool and full training, so all good.

“He is good. I think there will be a big chance he will be ready for Saturday, but there was no chance for this game – it was a little bit too quick, but it’s all good.”

It will be a huge boost for Liverpool if Matip returns to face Chelsea as he’s arguably the Merseysiders best central defender so Klopp will be praying he recovers over the coming days.

Klopp also offered an update on the fitness of Lallana as the midfielder edges closer to making his first appearance of the season having recently recovered from a serious thigh injury.

The England international sustained the problem in pre-season and has taken longer than expected to recover but Lallana is now fully-fit and pushing for a recall to the first team.

The 29-year-old was included in the 23-man squad that flew-out to Spain today so could be in contention to face Sevilla in the Champions League tomorrow night.

However, Klopp insists that he won’t rush Lallana back too soon as he want’s to protect the midfielder’s long-term fitness. He told Liverpoolfc.com:

“He is getting nearer and nearer, but we need him for the rest of the season and not for the next weeks.

“He is really knocking on the door and it’s fantastic that he is back. It’s great.”

We’ll have to wait and see whether Lallana features against Sevilla or if Klopp holds him back for the Chelsea game but I think we’ll see the midfielder make his first appearance of the campaign over the next two matches.