Liverpool Team News: Klopp Hints At Double Fitness Boost Ahead Of Man City Clash

Liverpool will be looking to make a statement of intent when they entertain Premier League champions Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

Jurgen Klopp has been speaking to the media at a pre-match press conference this afternoon and he’s given a team news and injury update ahead of the game including the latest on midfielders Naby Keita and Adam Lallana.

Keita was stretchered off midway through the first half during Liverpool’s Champions League defeat to Napoli on Wednesday night after suffering back pain and was taken to hospital to be assessed.

The Guinean international was given the all-clear to fly home with the rest of the  squad on Thursday morning but Klopp says he’s still unsure over the players availability this weekend.

If Keita is given the go-ahead to train either today or on Saturday then he should be in contention to face City on Sunday but Klopp says no final decision has been made as yet.

The Reds boss told Liverpoolfc.com:

“Not 100 per cent sure, he had a back spasm. So we have to wait a little bit. He will be in today; if he can do something on the training ground, I don’t know. I spoke to the Doc this morning but he didn’t know. We have to see him again in a few minutes and then we will make a decision about that.

“We don’t know in this moment as well if he can train tomorrow, we have to see. It didn’t look too serious, so there’s a chance but we don’t know.”

There was some positive news on Lallana as the midfielder is now back in full training after recovering from a groin injury that’s hampered him since the international break back in September.

However, after a month on the sidelines and just one appearance off the bench this season, Lallana will be severely lacking match fitness so it remains to be seen whether he’ll be considered against City on Sunday.

Klopp: "Adam Lallana is in full training, we will have to see."

— James Pearce (@JamesPearceEcho) October 5, 2018

Liverpool head in to the weekend action sitting level on points with Man City at the top of the table so they can move clear of their rivals with a win on Sunday but they’ll be looking to bounce back following Wednesday’s disappointing defeat in Naples.