Liverpool Team News: Klopp Confirms Trio Could Miss Arsenal Trip But Midfielder Available

Liverpool will look to cement their position in the top four with a positive result when they take on Arsenal at the Emirates on Friday evening.

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

The Reds boss confirmed that Joel Matip is back in full training after recovering from a muscle injury that’s kept him out of Liverpool’s last five games in all competitions.

The centre-backs return to fitness will come as a big boost, however, Klopp has suggested that Friday’s clash with Arsenal may come too soon for the Cameroonian international.

Daniel Sturridge has also been missing for Liverpool in recent games due to a tight hamstring and Klopp has revealed the striker remains a doubt for the trip to north London as he’s now suffering from illness.

There was more positive news regarding the fitness of Adam Lallana as the midfielder is now declared fit and available for selection after making his comeback with a late cameo appearance against Bournemouth last weekend.

Lallana suffered a setback after making his long-awaited comeback last month but came through the final 20 minutes of Liverpool’s 4-0 win at the Vitality Stadium and Klopp is delighted to have the midfielder available again.

However, there wasn’t such good news on Alberto Moreno as the left-back is still weeks away from making his return to fitness so he’ll miss the Arsenal game as he continues to recover from an ankle injury.

Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com:

“Joel Matip was back in training yesterday. How it is always now we have these little reactions on the last game so we need to wait a little bit, we have different players but in this moment it looks like apart from Daniel Sturridge, who is a little bit ill, or was, but he could be back, I’m not sure and the long-term [injuries].

“But Joel Matip, it’s positive. I’m not sure if he’s ready for Arsenal, but [will be] for the games coming up then, I’m pretty sure. That’s it, I think.”

“It was aggressive! Was it 10 seconds until he had a yellow card or so?! He’s back and that’s good but he needs to collect minutes now, we will see how we manage that. He’s not ready for three games, 90 minutes in a row, but he’s ready to help us in specific moments and hopefully we can build up his match fitness step by step because that’s the only thing he’s missing now.

“But even in the few minutes when he was on the pitch, everybody could see what a player he is and yeah, it’s very good news for all of us that he is back.”

“Unfortunately he [Moreno] is still not even on the pitch so that could still take a few weeks.”

Liverpool head to the Emirates sitting fourth in the table – one point ahead of Arsenal – so the Merseysiders will be desperate to at least maintain that advantage with a positive result on Friday night.