The manager of Liverpool football club Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Fabinho would not be available for the club’s league match against Leicester City on Saturday, February 13. The 27-year-old Brazilian defensive midfielder is currently battling with a muscle injury.
Fabinho was among the first set of Liverpool’s stars that sustained different degrees of injuries before the start of the new year. He returned against Manchester City and sustained another injury before the match ended. Man City defeated Liverpool 4-1 in the match.
“Fab will not be available by the way, he suffered again a little muscle issue so will be out for this game. So we have to find a solution, all of them had the chance this week to show in training who’s ready, so I have to make a decision tomorrow”, Jurgen Klopp said less than 24 hours before Liverpool trip to Leicester City’s Kings Power Stadium.
Jurgen Klopp also confirmed that Diogo Jota will be fit enough to participate in Liverpool’s full training before the end of February. The football star has been out with a knee injury since the start of 2021.
Also, the German tactician confirmed that Liverpool could welcome Naby Keita back to the squad soonest. He confirmed that the player who has been injured since December 2020 is back in training but not with the club’s squad.
“[Keita] is back on the pitch but not with the team yet,” Klopp added. “Individual training sessions, the final stages of his rehab, but still not there.
“Diogo is close but not as close as Naby for example. He’s on the pitch as well, individual sessions, not the same intensity. After a long time in rehab, you have to train really intense before you can go back to team training. Diogo, two or three weeks? Maybe? But probably the medical team hits me now but I think that’s kind of possible. Back in full training maybe then we’ll see how long it takes.”
Jurgen Klopp Fears Jamie Vardy
Liverpool’s manager, Jurgen Klopp could not hide how concern he is about the firepower of Leicester City 34-year-old striker Jamie Vardy. The English striker has scored a total of 11 goals and provided 5 assists in 19 league games so far this season.
He is expected to lead the attack of Leicester City when Liverpool visit the Kings Power Stadium on Saturday, at 13:30.
Klopp said: “Jamie is obviously a proper challenge in this league. We can only do that with the whole team, you have to avoid the passes to him. He’s a world-class player for sure, in a specific area of the pitch, and with his speed, that’s really tricky.
“With the boys, we’ve had some sessions together where we could work on this defensive setup, and that’s very important, but we have as well other players available. Nate Phillips did really well together with Hendo [Jordan Henderson] and Fab.”
Allison has returned to his normal level
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson made two mistakes against Manchester City on February 7 which Liverpool paid dearly for. Due to his complacency, Liverpool fell at Anfield to City 4 goals to one.
During Liverpool’s press conference ahead of the club’s league match against Leicester City, the club’s coach, Jurgen Klopp revealed that he has discussed with the goalkeeper and the Brazilian first-choice goalie was not happy about the mistakes he made in favor of City.
“We of course had a little talk. He was not happy that it happened, but it’s very important to realize in a moment like this, goalkeepers in a long career make mistakes.
“For a goalkeeper of Alisson Becker’s quality he rarely makes this kind of mistake, then he makes two of them in one game. They concede a goal and they know earlier than all the rest of the world, ‘I should have saved it’, and they have to deal with that always.
“Now there are just a few days between the City game and this game, and there was absolutely no real criticism from the players because everybody knows how good he is. He’s a very calm person, and now the next game is coming up and it’s good, so he can play his normal level again, then everything will be fine.”
Liverpool are currently sitting on the 4th spot on the league table with 40 points in 23 league games. They need a win against Leicester City on Saturday to guarantee their place in the top four. Leicester also need a win to keep their 3rd spot which they are occupying with 43 points in 23 games.
Next up, we’re back on the road 👊 pic.twitter.com/b1lG9LC1Zt
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 10, 2021
