Thiago Alcantara is set to be available for Liverpool’s Premier League fixture with Leeds United on Saturday, Jürgen Klopp has confirmed. The midfielder has missed the Reds’ last two matches with an ear infection but could make a return in the 7.45pm BST kick-off at Anfield.
Meanwhile, the knock Jordan Henderson sustained at AFC Ajax in midweek will continue to be assessed, as Naby Keita, Joel Matip, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Arthur Melo remain sidelined. Offering an update at his pre-match press conference on Friday, Klopp said: “With Hendo, we have to wait a little bit.
“It’s a knock, he was a bit stiff yesterday, had only treatment yesterday. So we will see how he will be today. I expect him to be OK, to be honest. “And Thiago is back. Naby not yet. Joel will not be back – he’s here training but rehab. You don’t have to ask about Diogo for a while and not for Luis for a while.”
On Arthur, he added: “It’s a long-term injury. When he’s back, yeah, we will think about it again but in the moment it’s too far away. I have no idea how long it will be but it will be long. It’s a serious injury.” Ibrahima Konate returned to the matchday squad for the victory in Amsterdam on Wednesday night.
“I would say the Ajax game, we didn’t have more subs, so we could take him with us,” Klopp explained. “But he was not really ready for this game – in a very serious situation, last five minutes maybe.