Liverpool team news: Klopp confirms quadruple fitness boost but duo ruled out

Liverpool get back to Premier League action this weekend as they travel to the Brentford Community Stadium to take on Brentford on Saturday evening.

Ahead of the game, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp has been speaking to the media and he’s provided a full team news and injury update including the latest on the fitness of six first team players.

Trent Alexander-Arnold missed Liverpool’s victory over Crystal Palace last weekend due to illness and wasn’t involved against Norwich City in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night either. However, Klopp says the defender is back in training and will be available to face Brentford tomorrow.

There is also positive news on Roberto Firmino as the Brazilian international resumed full training this week after overcoming a hamstring injury that’s kept him out since last month. Klopp says the striker is now ‘back in contention’ but it still remains to be seen whether he’ll be risked for Liverpool’s trip to Brentford this weekend or if he’ll be saved for the Porto game next week.

James Milner is expected to be available for the Premier League clash on Saturday evening after missing the Norwich game while Neco Williams had stepped-up his recovery from an ankle injury this week at Melwood.

Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com:

“Trent was not injured, Trent was a little bit ill. He’s back in training, trained yesterday and will be fine.

“Neco made [his] first steps the day before yesterday; yesterday a [recovery] day; will be in training today, if it’s 100 per cent, we will see how he can cope with it.

“James was a similar thing to Trent, so he should be recovered. I saw him running around here, nobody told me differently – I assume he will be in training today.

“Bobby trained already for two or three days, so he is back in contention, let me say it like this. We used him a little bit as a ‘joker’ [in training].

“But he will be in the normal training and then we have to make a decision if we take him with us or not. Porto, 100 per cent. Brentford, we have to see.”

However, it’s not all positive news for Liverpool as Klopp has confirmed Naby Keita will miss the Brentford game this weekend due to a foot injury that he picked up during the League Cup win over Norwich. The midfielder will continue to be assessed but could also miss the Champions League clash with Porto.

Thiago Alcantara missed the win at Norwich on Tuesday night due to a calf issue that he sustained against Palace last weekend. Klopp says the Spaniard is expected to return at some point after the upcoming international break.

Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com:

“It’s not 100 per cent clear when Thiago will be back. It’s a muscle in the calf issue, so after the international break probably – I don’t think there’s anything earlier possible. We will have to see.”

“[It’s] nothing really serious [on Keita], but it keeps him out of the next game for sure – and maybe a little bit longer, we have to see.

“It’s nothing serious but it’s obviously painful and we have to see how we can deal with it. Of course, it’s not cool when players have had a good pre-season, could play a lot of games and now are out. That happens throughout a season and hopefully when they come back then that’s it and they can play the rest of the season, that would be extremely helpful.”

Liverpool travel to Brentford this weekend sitting level on points with Chelsea and Manchester United at the top of the Premier League table so they’ll be looking to maintain the pressure on their rivals with a win over the Bees.