Liverpool team news: Positive update on duo but Klopp reveals fresh injury concern

Liverpool will be looking to keep the pressure on Manchester City at the top of the table with a win over Burnley at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

Ahead of the game, Jurgen Klopp has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this morning and he’s provided a team news and injury update including the latest on the fitness of Joe Gomez, Dejan Lovren and James Milner.

Let’s start with the positive news and Klopp confirmed that Gomez has stepped up his rehabilitation programme and is now running fully again as he looks to make his return from a fractured leg.

The defender suffered the injury during the reverse fixture at Burnley back in early December but Liverpool are hoping to have Gomez available again after the upcoming international break.

There is also good news on Lovren as the centre-back is back in full training after not featuring for Liverpool since suffering a hamstring injury during the FA Cup defeat to Wolves on January 7th.

However, the Croatian international is unlikely to feature against Burnley this weekend as Klopp says the Liverpool staff will have to assess his fitness following two months on the sidelines.

Otherwise, the Liverpool squad is in good health but Klopp did confirm that Milner is a doubt for the visit of Burnley on Sunday as he’ll need a late fitness test on a minor muscle issue.

Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com:

“It’s a rather positive moment, it looks really good. Dejan trained yesterday for the first time, [in] full, completely normal.

“Joe is now running with 100 per cent of his weight, because we have different opportunities to run. Now he is really at 100 per cent and it’s good, it looks good.

“Most of the [returns] will probably be after the international break, for example Joe and stuff like that.

“Dejan we have to see. He was out for a while, so we have to see how his fitness is exactly. He is not injured anymore, he is fit – but how fit, we have to see.”

“Millie we will have to see. It is Millie, so everything heals quicker with him!

“He was already outside yesterday. He had a little muscle issue, but there are still two days to go until the game. I think if you ask Millie he would say, ‘I will be ready’ but we have to see.

“He trained yesterday with the rehab coach and we will see what he is doing today.”

The only other major fitness concern for Klopp is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and the midfielder will step-up his comeback by turning out for the Liverpool U23s against Derby today.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has been out since suffering a serious knee ligament injury against Roma back in April 2018 but he’s edging closer to making his return and could be back in the first team squad after the international break if he comes through today’s U23 game.