Liverpool assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders took the pre-match press conference on Tuesday and provided updates on key injured players.
The Merseyside giants are in action against Arsenal in the League Cup on Wednesday night at Anfield as they look to stay in the hunt for another trophy this season.
Following that game, attention will switch to the clash with Aston Villa on Saturday, and so Jurgen Klopp will be desperate for good news on the injury front heading into these encounters.
While there was generally positive news in that there no updates suggesting any setbacks for a lengthy spells on the sidelines, none of Mohamed Salah, Joel Matip or Xherdan Shaqiri will feature in midweek and it seems as though Liverpool will be cautious with them moving forward too.
“Joel’s knee is still irritated – we need to give him time. I don’t know the exact time he will need but it will really need time to heal,” Lijnders told the media, as noted by the club’s official site.
“Mo is fine. Towards the end of the game it is more precaution because the ankle gets more tired and he feels it a little bit more and we have to take him off. But he is fine, he is good.
“Shaq will only be back after the international break. We want to give him the time. With a calf injury it is always very high risk, especially with his calves.”
As they continue to try and compete on multiple fronts, Klopp will be desperate to have as close to a fully-fit squad at his disposal as possible.
However, there will be a balancing act with avoiding rushing any key players back, and given how important the likes of Matip and Salah have been again this season, they’ll want to get them back fully recovered and ready to play without any fears or risks of a setback.Liverpool injury news: Key updates on Matip, Salah as well as long-term absentee
