Liverpool team news: Mane and Robertson fit to face Arsenal

Andrew Robertson and Sadio Mane are set to face Arsenal this weekend but at least six other Liverpool players won’t be involved at Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp has a long list of injury issues to contend with as he prepares to welcome the Gunners to Merseyside on Saturday evening but the Liverpool boss has received a welcome boost regarding Robertson’s fitness.

The full-back was forced off while playing for Scotland last week and it was reportedly due to a hamstring issue which made him an early doubt to face Arsenal. However, Klopp has confirmed Robertson’s withdrawal for his country was more precautionary and the left-back is expected to be available for selection tomorrow evening.

In a double boost for Liverpool, Klopp has also confirmed that Mane is in contention after making a swift recovery from a rib injury that forced him off while playing for Senegal last week. Mane has trained at Melwood this week and should be ‘fine’ to take on Arsenal at Anfield.

Jordan Henderson also has a chance of being available tomorrow evening as the injury that forced him to miss England’s win over San Marino on Monday night isn’t serious. The Reds skipper will be assessed at training before a decision is made over his involvement this weekend.

However, Liverpool have a number of other injury concerns with at least six players certain to miss the visit of Arsenal tomorrow. Roberto Firmino remains on the sidelines with a thigh injury while Joe Gomez is still working his way back from a calf issue.

James Milner and Naby Keita could resume training next week but will miss the Arsenal game due to thigh injuries while Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott are also ruled out once again due to eye and ankle injuries respectively.

In a lengthy update, Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com:

“Robbo was lucky, we can probably say. It was a little bit DOMS, the intensity of all the games he played probably, rather than anything else,”

“He was smart enough to [make] the right decision, he went off early, which he usually is not doing. But in this case it was absolutely right, and so there’s a good chance that he can be involved at the weekend.

“Hendo, a little bit more [injured] than Robbo but a chance for the weekend. So we are working on that. It’s not a serious injury but in this short period of time we have to see if he is ready for Saturday. But after that, 100 per cent, and possibly for Arsenal as well.

“Sadio is fine – painful but fine. Everybody who had a rib bruise knows it’s an annoying thing. But Sad trained here with us now in all sessions.

“We took him out a little bit earlier here and there when we knew now it will be full contact, stuff like this, just to give it a bit more time to settle. But he looks fine.”

“So Joe is obviously still not available. He is in a good way and it looks pretty good. It was clear he will need a few weeks and that’s still [the case], the rehab is not finished. But in a good place actually,”

“Naby and James are in a good way as well, getting closer. Probably next week we expect them being back in team training, let’s see what that means for the Porto game – but not for the weekend, they are not available.

“Bobby [is] getting closer but not for the weekend. We’ll see, that will take a little bit longer still.”

So Klopp has plenty of injury worries to deal with as he prepares his Liverpool squad to take on Arsenal this weekend. Only two points separates the two teams in the league table so Klopp will want to widen the gap and close-in on leaders Chelsea with victory at Anfield.