Liverpool will have skipper Jordan Henderson available for our opening game of the season against Watford, but worryingly, our best player Coutinho is looking doubtful.
While Henderson trained normally with his team-mates yesterday, Coutinho spent the day in the treatment room according to the Echo, getting physio on a back issue he picked up in Germany during the Audi Cup.
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Under Jurgen Klopp, if you’re not training on Wednesday, you rarely play on Saturday. Perhaps the Hoffenheim game on Tuesday is the earliest we can expect Phil back – with the Brazilian named in our Champions League squad despite Barcelona’s irritating interest.
With Henderson in and Coutinho out, Klopp’s hands are already tied in terms of selection for our first game of the campaign.
The captain will hold, with Emre Can and Gini Wijnaldum either side of the central three. Marko Grujic will provide the bench option, now that Lucas and Kevin Stewart have moved on.
Many think that with Adam Lallana a long-term absentee, Liverpool should enter the transfer market to acquire another central midfielder in the coming weeks. We wanted Naby Keita, but time will tell whether that deal is resurrectable or if an alternative will be targeted.