Jurgen Klopp will miss Liverpool’s Premier League clash with Sunderland this afternoon after suffering a suspected bout of appendicitis.
Assistants Zeljko Buvac, Peter Krawietz, Pep Lijnders and goalkeeping coach John Achterberg will oversee Sunderland’s visit to Anfield.
Klopp would have been opposite Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce, who described the Reds manager as “a soft German” after December’s reverse fixture.
But he has become the latest casualty of a Liverpool season which has been badly hampered by injury, in particular an epidemic of hamstring strains.
Klopp’s condition may be serious enough to require surgery. Appendicitis occurs when the appendix becomes inflamed and an operation would remove the swollen gland.
Philippe Coutinho, Martin Skrtel, Daniel Sturridge, Danny Ings and Joe Gomez are among the absentees for the encounter against the Black Cats.
Liverpool are looking for a victory which could take them to seventh in the table. Sunderland will remain in the relegation zone regardless of today’s result.
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