Jurgen Klopp’s latest update on Naby Keita could suggest Liverpool will be without their No.8 for a longer period of time than initially suspected.
James Pearce relayed the manager’s pre-match press conference comments in a tweet online as the German confirmed the midfielder, whom he previously described as ‘incredible’ (as reported by liverpoolfc.com), had suffered a ‘muscle’ problem prior to the Reds’ meeting with Manchester United.
Klopp on Keita: "Naby will not be ready for the weekend. It's a muscle. It's not 100% clear."
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) August 26, 2022
As such, it’s not as of yet clear how long the 27-year-old could be stuck on the sidelines for, with the Merseysiders’ injury crisis looking increasingly problematic ahead of gameweek four.
VOTE for Empire of the Kop as Best Club Content Creator (Premier League) here: Football Content Awards
OR on Twitter with the FCA’s one-click Twitter link with: I am voting for @Empireofthekop in @The_FCAs for #BestClubContentCreator (Premier League)
With negotiations remaining ongoing around extending the former RB Leizpig man’s stay at Anfield, a fresh injury concern does throw something of a spanner into the works, whilst also providing Liverpool with a lifeline were we to believe claims that the player is considering departing the club.
Currently lacking a selection of left-sided central midfielders, it leaves us in a somewhat tricky position navigating the remaining couple of league fixtures in August as we look to overturn a supremely poor start to the campaign.
Having thrived on the left-flank for us in pre-season and beyond, Fabio Carvalho could stand as a reasonably quick fix in that regard until the cavalry arrives at the start of September, though it could prove a gamble too far for a manager desperate to see his side return to their winning ways.
You can catch the full press conference below, courtesy of Liverpool’s YouTube channel:
