- Klopp confirmed all three back in training
- Last-16 match too soon for Van Dijk
- Didn't rule out Alexander-Arnold, Henderson featuring
WHAT HAPPENED? Klopp's side go up against the Premier League champions in the Carabao Cup just four days after the World Cup final in Qatar. The Liverpool manager confirmed that all three of Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold and Henderson have resumed training with the Reds, but admitted only the latter two are in with a chance of featuring in Thursday's last-16 matchup.
WHAT THEY SAID: "Yeah, there's a chance, of course – they train already," Klopp said. "Hendo is already training here. Virg is training here but I don't think we will try that. Hendo we will see, Trent we will see. But this group worked now together for nearly two weeks and we made a real step and that's cool. I don't know in this moment.
"I hope we all get through it and we all know in England, and in Europe in general, there's kind of a virus going around, so we hope we can stay out of that. Then we will make the decision obviously on Wednesday who can play on Thursday. But it's good and will be a very interesting game after that period but I'm looking forward to it."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold and Henderson returned home following quarter-final exits in Qatar, all three of whom were eliminated by eventual finalists Argentina and France. Liverpool, meanwhile, won their first League Cup in ten years last season, and face a tough test in the last-16 stage of this campaign to successfully defend their crown.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
Next Match
Getty Images
Getty Images
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL? After taking on Man City in the Carabao Cup, Klopp will hope to have the likes of Van Dijk and Co. at his disposal when Premier League action resumes on Boxing Day away to Aston Villa.