It looks increasingly likely Liverpool will be without Joel Matip and Naby Keita when they take on Manchester United in the Premier League this weekend.
The star duo were absent from training at the AXA Centre in Kirkby today, with time running out ahead of the big game this Sunday night.
As mentioned by the Mirror’s Dave Maddock, Matip will need to put in two full sessions before Jurgen Klopp can make a confident decision on his inclusion – and the same can be said of Keita.
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No sign of Joel Matip nor Naby Keita in the latest #LFC training pics. Still time ahead of Sunday, but neither appeared to take part in the session today. pic.twitter.com/NAeC3RlCKU
— Matt Addison (@MattAddison97) January 13, 2021
In the absence of Matip, Klopp will be forced to to pick one of Nat Phillips, Rhys Williams or Jordan Henderson to start alongside Fabinho in the heart of his defence.
While the trio are certainly capable of putting in a shift at the back, it’s far from ideal for the biggest fixture in the football calendar.
As would be the case with Matip, the potential return of Keita would be a huge boost for Liverpool, with Klopp’s hands tied over certain decisions at the moment.
Is the team not making some signings this transfer market?