Advertisement

Thiago injury: Liverpool midfielder ruled out of Man City clash after suffering fresh setback

Thiago is out with a calf injury   (AFP via Getty Images)
Thiago is out with a calf injury (AFP via Getty Images)

Liverpool midfielder Thiago has been ruled out until the international break with a calf injury and will miss the club’s key matches against Porto in the Champions League and Manchester City in the Premier League next week.

The Spain international was expected to return following this Saturday’s trip to Brentford after he sustained the problem in last week’s home win over Crystal Palace.

But the 30-year-old is now unlikely to feature until after the upcoming international window, which begins after Liverpool’s home match against City next Sunday.

“It’s not 100 per cent clear when Thiago will be back,” Jurgen Klopp said at a press conference on Friday. “It’s a muscle in the calf issue, so after the international break probably.

“I don’t think there’s anything earlier possible. We will have to see.”

The Liverpool manager also confirmed that Naby Keita has been ruled out of Saturday’s match at the Brentford Community Stadium after picking up a foot injury in the win over Norwich in the Carabao Cup this week.

“Nothing really serious, but it keeps him out of the next game for sure and maybe a little bit longer, we have to see,” Klopp said.

“It’s nothing serious but it’s obviously painful and we have to see how we can deal with it. Of course, it’s not cool when players have had a good pre-season, could play a lot of games and now are out.

“That happens throughout a season and hopefully when they come back then that’s it and they can play the rest of the season, that would be extremely helpful.”

Trent Alexander-Arnold is available after missing Liverpool’s past two games with a non-Covid-related illness while Roberto Firmino is back in contention after recovering from hamstring injury.