Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp deemed Naby Keita fit for the weekend’s Brighton clash but Fabinho was ruled out with a knee issue which has sidelined him for the last two outings.
Keita was stretchered off the pitch at Old Trafford last week in Liverpool’s thumping win over Manchester United following Paul Pogba’s lunging challenge on the Gineuan leaving him on the ground.
Despite initial fears over his injury trouble, Keita is in line for a return to the fold come Saturday at Anfield after taking part in training, sounded out Jurgen Klopp in his pre-match press conference.
“Naby Keita looks good; we were all surprised, but he was obviously lucky so I think he will be ready.”
Klopp had his say on Thiago Alcantara’s return to training with the midfielder back in the Anfield setup after a spell on the sidelines with a calf niggle but the weekend outing against Brighton could come a bit early for the Spaniard.
Fabinho was deemed an injury concern with the Brazil international unlikely to play any part in the upcoming game as he missed training, confirmed Klopp ahead of the match.
“With Fabinho it doesn’t look that good, it’s a bit more complicated,” Klopp said. “Not too complicated, but complicated enough to keep him out now again, probably. I still wait for last news, but he was not in team training yet and that is never a good sign.
“Thiago was in team training for the first time yesterday. We did a session where he could be part of pretty much the whole session, [but] that doesn’t mean he is ready to play a football game, unfortunately.
“We will see what we do with him, but he is closer than he was last week, much closer. Now we have to see what we do with that.”
