Liverpool take on West Ham United in the Premier League this weekend but the home side will be without some important players when the Hammers come to town.
The Anfield outfit are within touching distance of league leaders Manchester City but the Hammers have the potential to stop Liverpool primarily because they have already done it earlier this season.
Thiago picked up an injury last weekend before the EFL Cup final so he will not be available for selection and the manager has admitted that a few others have also joined this list.
Klopp told a press conference: “So, you’re right, strength in depth is really important, no doubt about that, especially when you have to play different competitions. But we have players who are not available.
“I’m pretty sure that nobody will tell me differently because yesterday he didn’t train, Thiago will not be available for tomorrow.
“Curtis is not bad but if it is good enough to go again tomorrow, I don’t know. Joel Matip is ill – no COVID, nowadays you can be ill in different ways as well – so he will not be available.
Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip will miss our Premier League encounter with West Ham, Jürgen Klopp confirmed.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 4, 2022
“So all of a sudden, we played a tough game midweek, all these kind of things, so we still wait a little bit for who is how in which moment. So from eight midfielders – Naby we don’t know – to four midfielders in a week, that can happen easily.
“Bobby is looking good but not good enough for the weekend. I think the plan is that he trains on Sunday, first time. That sounds then doable for Tuesday.”
Will all these injuries be a worry for the Liverpool manager?
Liverpool have been in really great form this season and if they can win against West Ham United they will momentarily move with three points of Man City, plus they have a game in hand. City play the Manchester Derby on Sunday so there’s every chance that they will drop points this weekend.
But the Hammers are also in good form themselves and they are still very much fighting for a top four spot so there’s every chance that David Moyes’ side can spoil the party for Liverpool. West Ham might have stumbled against Southampton in midweek in the FA Cup but they have the firepower to stop the Anfield outfit.
All these injuries should not be an issue for Jurgen Klopp, not at least in the attacking department but it’s the midfield that could be a slight cause of concern. Declan Rice and Soucek have been superb in the middle of the pitch and with the likes of Thiago and Naby Keita out, the West Ham United pair can very easily take control of the midfield, thereby cutting off supply to the three forward players.
