Klopp facing selection headache for Carabao Cup clash against Arsenal
Liverpool assistant boss Pepijn Lijnders confirmed Jordan Henderson, Joel Matip and Kostas Tsimikas will not feature in Thursday night’s game after failing to overcome their injuries in time. Summer signing Thiago Alcantara will also be absent after testing positive for coronavirus.
Liverpool skipper Henderson has not played any part in the last two games after being withdrawn at half-time during their victory at Chelsea earlier this month.
Matip, meanwhile, is struggling to shake off a muscle problem while Tsimikas is still sidelined with a knock he sustained in Liverpool’s 7-2 victory at Lincoln in the last round.
Speaking ahead of the match with Arsenal, who the Reds defeated in the Premier League on Monday, Lijnders told the club’s official website: ‘Jordan, we will re-evaluate on Friday after this game to see if he can be ready for Aston Villa.
‘Joel is the same as what I said last week, he will be ready [after] the international break and use the time to prepare the Everton game.
‘We have Kostas, who after the Lincoln game had a thigh problem. We thought it would settle, it didn’t, so he will need more time. He will not be involved on Thursday and also not on Sunday.’
Thiago is suffering from minor coronavirus symptoms and will also miss Sunday’s trip to Aston Villa as he self-isolates.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain remains out with a knee injury but Lijnders has provided an update on the midfielder’s fitness.
‘Ox is progressing well,’ he added.
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‘He’s in a good way and it’s really important for him that this first phase goes smooth. But, of course, that takes a much longer time.’