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Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp hit by defensive injuries before Manchester City's Champions League visit

Klopp will have only two fit central defenders - Virgil van Dijk and Dejan Lovren - to call upon

Mark Critchley
Northern Football Correspondent
Tuesday 03 April 2018 17:00 BST
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Jürgen Klopp has a number of injury concerns on his hands
Jürgen Klopp has a number of injury concerns on his hands

Jürgen Klopp has revealed that Liverpool will go into Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City with just two fit centre-halves to call upon.

It was announced on Tuesday that Joel Matip will miss the remainder of the season and may be forced to undergo surgery on a thigh injury suffered in Saturday’s 2-1 win at Crystal Palace.

Dejan Lovren will take Matip’s place and partner Virgil van Dijk in the centre of defence for City’s visit, but Ragnar Klavan will be unable to provide cover as he struggles with a minor problem.

Joe Gomez is also unavailable, having picked up an ankle problem while on international duty with England, and Klopp is down to the bare bones at the back.

“If there is a centre-half I’m open for talks,” the Liverpool manager joked on Tuesday, adding of Matip’s injury: “It is a big blow. He is a very good player and we need him. We need all the boys until the rest of the season.

“He was surprised, he didn’t think it was that serious until we saw the scan. If, at the same moment, we miss Ragnar who is a big doubt for tomorrow and we have no chance to take the risk.

“We need to be sensible and make the right decision. Joe Gomez is not in for two or three weeks. The moment when you get the information is not really cool but then you start dealing with it.”

In midfield, meanwhile, Liverpool are unlikely to be able to call upon Emre Can’s services, though Klopp claimed the midfielder will be “very, very close” for Wednesday night.

The prognosis is less rosy for Adam Lallana, who left the Selhurst Park pitch injured on Saturday only five minutes after being introduced as second-half substitute.

The 29-year-old, who has made just 13 appearances this year due to a spate of injury problems, is likely to miss out on a place in Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad. Klopp, however, is hopeful that he could return before the end of the season.

“Adam, we have to see. It’s a hamstring injury. Could have been worse but bad enough,” he said.

“It means he is not available for the next weeks but don’t want to finish the season for him. With a few weeks to go, there’s a chance he could be back.”

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