Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has revealed that James Milner has suffered a muscular problem in Liverpool’s 1-0 FA Cup victory against Everton and described the injury as “a big, big blow” for the Premier League leaders.
The 34-year-old Milner one of the five recognized senior players in the Reds’ starting eleven and the midfielder left the field after just nine minutes of the Merseyside derby, which was decided by Curtis Jones superb striker in the second half of the game.
The injury to Milner will see the Englishman join Naby Keita, Joel Matip, Dejan Lovren, Nathaniel Clyne, Fabinho and Xherdan Shaqiri on the Liverpool sidelines, and leaves Klopp short of cover for Scottish defender Andy Robertson in the left-back zone.
19-year-old Algerian Yasser Larouci made his debut for the Reds as he replaced Milner, who left the pitch clutching his hamstring, and Klopp praised the teenage defender along with the other young charges who impressed against an experienced Everton side in the Merseyside derby.
While speaking to reporters after the game, the 52-year-old Klopp explained that Milner injury is a big blow for the club and it doesn’t look good, “Millie [went] off, which is a big, big blow for us I have to say and it doesn’t look too good a muscle injury.”
Klopp then added praise for Larouci who filled in well for the experienced Milner, “But then Yasser coming on and just filling the role. It was an incredible game for us decided by a sensational goal from a Scouser. I cannot wish for more. It’s just a really wonderful night, apart from Millie. The plan was not to play Millie in the last game. The plan was to play Naby but then Millie had to play and today he started again and now that [injury] happened, but we cannot change it.”
