Liverpool Hit by Sickness Bug Ahead of Crucial Match Against Manchester City, Reveals Klopp
The Reds travel to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday to face Manchester City in an early Premier League kickoff, and their manager claims that players have been feeling ill this week.
Jurgen Klopp claims that Liverpool’s players have been sick ahead of their Premier League match against Manchester City.
During his press conference on Friday afternoon, Klopp revealed the fitness status of several members of his squad, saying that they had suffered from “stomach bugs” during the international break, but that they had cleared up in time for the game at the Etihad Stadium.
“Naby is out,” he said of midfielders Naby Keita and Thiago Alcantara. He returned from the national team with a muscle injury. We’ll have to wait and see how long it takes.
“Thiago is in a good way, but is not part of team training yet. He will probably be part of next week’s training. Rhys Williams has a little bit of something. We had stomach bugs here and there, but that stopped two days ago.
The fact that the bouts of illness appear to be over will be music to Klopp’s ears, as the game comes at the start of a busy week for Liverpool, which also faces Chelsea on Tuesday and hosts leaders Arsenal next Sunday.
“It’s like a Champions League week,” Klopp said of the upcoming fixture week. I’m very excited.
“We are not dumb. We know the last game vs [Real] Madrid wasn’t a good game, before that at Bournemouth wasn’t a good game, the one before [the 7-0 win over Manchester United ] was world class. We have to pick up from there and react to the other two games.”
On City in particular, he added: “This is a crucial game. That’s the only thing that hasn’t changed from previous years. We know it’s going to be a big game and a big week. They deserve our full attention tomorrow; we can’t think about the other games.”
City manager Pep Guardiola has been cautious about the fitness of his star striker Erling Haaland ahead of the game, but Klopp says he isn’t concerned whether or not the Norwegian plays.
“Not too much,” he said.
“When you prepare a game, you prepare all things to avoid the final pass – which is where Erling really comes into the game. He is a proper striker, but they became champions without a striker. That’s how it is, you never know 100 per cent who can play.”
Klopp confirmed that the game has come too soon for Colombian winger Luis Diaz despite his return to training, but Darwin Nunez is set to feature after overcoming a foot injury.
“Luis is back in small parts of training. It’s fantastic to have him back, but he will not train today with us,” he said.
“This week was the first step back into team training. Next week we will increase that. It looks really promising, we’re in the final stages.
“Darwin couldn’t train for two or three days this week, but trained yesterday. He is back in contention.”
On City in particular, he added: “This is a crucial game. That’s the only thing that hasn’t changed from previous years. We know it’s going to be a big game and a big week. They deserve our full attention tomorrow; we can’t think about the other games.”
City manager Pep Guardiola has been cautious about the fitness of his star striker Erling Haaland ahead of the game, but Klopp says he isn’t concerned whether or not the Norwegian plays.
