In a pre-match press conference ahead of Liverpool’s home encounter against Newcastle United at Anfield on Saturday afternoon, Jurgen Klopp provided an update on Alisson Becker’s injury earlier today when he said (transcripted by Ian Doyle), “Alisson is improving, but we can’t put any pressure on him. It was a serious injury in the calf, but now it’s much better. We don’t know exactly. The target was always after the next international break.”
Klopp had also hinted that Naby Keita is close to returing to first-team training when he added (transcripted by Ian Doyle), “Naby is close. He could be in training when we come back from Napoli next week.”
How Have The Reds Fared In The Absence Of Alisson and Keita?
It seems like both players are recovering from their respective injuries. However, it could still be a few weeks until they can make a complete recovery and feature for Liverpool at the highest level. Adrian has stepped up to the plate in Alisson’s absence. The Spanish keeper managed to keep his first clean sheet of this campaign when he was successful in keeping the Burnley attackers at bay before the international break. The former West Ham goalie will now look to build on that performance by putting in an impressive display against the Magpies this weekend.
Klopp’s preferred choice in midfield during Keita’s absence has been to go with Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum and Fabinho. The talented trio has worked well together to establish a solid partnership at the centre of the park. The Reds also have Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Adam Lallana and James Milner waiting for their chance on Klopp’s bench.
At the moment, the European champions are coping quite well following the injuries to Alisson and Keita. Even though the Brazilian keeper is a better distributor of the ball when compared to Adrian, the Spaniard has made some crucial stops to help his team win all of their matches in the Premier League thus far.
Why The Merseysiders Need Their Injured Duo Back Soon
The Liverpool midfielders have performed at a high level over the past few weeks, so Keita’s absence has not been felt too much at Merseyside. However, the Guinea international can still have an integral role to play in determining whether Liverpool can end their long wait for a league title at the end of this campaign.
When firing on all cylinders, Keita can be a potent goal-threat from midfield and tends to create chances out of nothing in the opposition half. Alisson is one of the best keepers in world football and was recently named the UEFA Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year. Furthermore, he is excellent with his feet and won’t make the few errors that Adrian has made before the international break.
The Merseyside outfit has found a way to get over the line without Alisson and Keita. However, there is no doubt that Klopp would rather have them back as soon as possible so that his side can compete on all fronts this term.
