There is less than a week left before Liverpool resume the game at Manchester City, with good and bad news about the injuries of Luis Diaz, Thiago and others.
The Reds are back in action after 17 days this Saturday when they visit the Etihad for the first of their last 12 games.
Any hope of getting into the top four is based on scoring as many points as possible in these remaining matches, and a trip to the reigning champions can be difficult.
However, Jurgen Klopp could bring Diaz back to his team for the match, and Paul Joyce of the Times was among those who reported on the winger’s fitness.
Joyce explained that number 23 trained with the Liverpool academy last week and will now rejoin the main squad for training.
However, he added that it “remains to be seen” whether Diaz will participate this weekend, while the Telegraph’s Chris Bascombe also reported from club sources that it “may be too soon.”
However, there is still a “chance” as earlier reports said he could be on his way to a cameo.
Meanwhile, Joyce revealed that Thiago should not be part of the squad to face Man City as he is “sticking to an individual program after a hip complaint.”
David Lynch, writing for Football Insider, reported that the Spaniard is “not expected to be fit” despite staff hoping he will be “ready to return” by now.
Thiago has already missed eight games due to injury, including both matches of the 1/8 final of the Champions League, where he lost to Real Madrid.
However, this is a new injury for left-back Kostas Tsimikas, who was forced to leave the field just 24 minutes after Greece’s 0-0 draw with Lithuania on Monday.
Tsimikas complained of pain in his rib, and he was replaced by Dimitris Giannoulis, and although there was no news from the Greek Football Association yet, journalist Yannis Horianopoulos said that it “didn’t seem serious.”
The 26-year-old will return to Merseyside this week to undergo treatment if required, as will Darwin Nunez, who missed service in Uruguay due to a cut ankle.
Like Cody Gakpo, who recovered from illness to play in the Netherlands’ 3-0 win over Gibraltar, Nunez is not in much doubt for Saturday’s match.
Stefan Bajcetic and Calvin Ramsay are the only other senior absentees at this stage and both are not expected to return until pre-season.
