Liverpool Team News: Klopp Rules Trio Out Of Southampton Clash + Update On The Ox

Liverpool will be looking to maintain their perfect start to the new season when they welcome Southampton to Anfield on Saturday afternoon. 

Jurgen Klopp has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this afternoon and he’s offered a full team news and injury update ahead of the game including the latest on Dejan Lovren, Divock Origi, Dominic Solanke, Adam Lallana and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Lovren returned to full training on Wednesday after recovering from an abdominal injury that’s hampered him since the World Cup finals this summer and Klopp admits the centre-back is close to full fitness. The Croatian international will miss the game against his former club tomorrow but Klopp hopes to have him available again soon.

Lallana is another player who is making steady progress in his recovery from a groin strain that he sustained while away with the England squad during the international break earlier this month. The midfielder will miss the visit of Southampton this weekend but Klopp suggests it won’t be long before Lallana is back in contention.

The Reds boss also ruled Origi out of the game this weekend as the striker is still feeling the effects of a knee injury that’s hampered him this season but Solanke could return to the squad after resuming full training following concussion that he sustained while playing for the U23’s last week.

Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com:

“Dejan is close. He looks really fit; he did a lactate test last week and fitness-wise he is on a really OK level for his situation – rather good than average.

“That is good and good work from the fitness department. We will see. He is not in the squad for the weekend of course but we will see how soon we can try to involve him again.”

“Adam gets closer and closer. He is still doing his rehab work out on the pitch and all that stuff, so he is not too far away from the team for sure.”

“Dom trains today for the first time after his concussion. Divock tried yesterday but still feels it when he is changing the direction and is still aware of it, so we don’t have to make pressure on that. I think Sunday will maybe be the first session with the team.”

Klopp also offered an update on Oxlade-Chamberlain after the midfielder expressed his delight at starting to kick a football again this week following his long road to recovery from a knee ligament injury that he sustained in April of last season.

Obviously Oxlade-Chamberlain still has a long way to go before he’ll be in contention for the first team but Klopp insists they aren’t putting any pressure on him to rush back too soon. He told Liverpoolfc.com:

“Ox is in a different situation, but it is so nice to have him around. I can imagine because I had a long injury in my career, the first month you take it somehow and then you think it’s really boring and not exactly why you wanted to play football. He for sure he had moments like this, but he is such a positive [person].

“We are really, really waiting for him without making pressure on him. We know it will take a long time, but he will always be a very important part of the squad because of the guy he is. I have said it a few times, I knew he was a good footballer when we signed him but I could never have imagined what an outstanding person he is.

“He is a big miss for us, but he is most of the time around and is still working on the good atmosphere in and around the team.”

Liverpool head in to the weekend action sitting level with Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table on maximum points so they’ll be looking to make it six wins from six league games with another victory over Southampton.