It looks like we’ll see our best player Coutinho back in a match-day squad for the first time since November on Wednesday evening.
The Brazilian playmaker, who started the campaign so wonderfully with five goals and assists apiece in the Premier League, has missed our past nine games due to the foot injury picked up against Sunderland one and a half months ago.
Our busy festive schedule came at just the wrong time for O Magico, whose performances helped us lead the title race early on. In his absence, we’ve done pretty well, winning against the likes of Everton and Manchester City – but according to Jurgen Klopp he should be fit enough to at least sit on the bench against Southampton in the EFL Cup semi-final first-leg.
“I think Phil is fit enough to be a big part of the squad. (It) means there could be minutes. It depends on the game,” he told today’s press-conference (via the Echo) ahead of the trip to St. Mary’s.
“It’s been seven weeks. It’s long. But no final decision has been made until now.
“I think (it was) the third complete session, tomorrow is the fourth.”
We don’t expect the 24-year-old to start against Southampton, but it’d be great to see him get some minutes with a view to starting against Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday…
Elsewhere, Klopp provided more good news on captain Jordan Henderson, who limped off versus City on New Year’s eve, claiming the midfielder is in ‘a very good way’, while telling us Joel Matip, who’s actually been absent since the 2-2 draw with West Ham mid December, has made his ‘first steps in team training’.
These three will be crucial to our chances in all competitions this term, and we only hope our squad returns to full health as we need everyone with Sadio Mane away at the AFCON.