Ibrahima Konate is a doubt for Liverpool’s trip to Newcastle United, with Jurgen Klopp acknowledging that with their center-back resources, the Reds “need to be lucky with injuries” this season.
Konate is in a battle against time to be available for Sunday’s trip to St James’ Park after suffering a muscular injury in last weekend’s 3-1 triumph against Bournemouth at Anfield.
Joel Matip and Joe Gomez are on standby to pair Virgil van Dijk at centre-back, with Rhys Williams on loan at Aberdeen and Nat Phillips having not played in pre-season and anticipated to be the focus of transfer interest ahead of the deadline next Friday.
Liverpool has been pondering adding defensive reinforcements this summer, but long-term target Levi Colwill chose to sign a new contract with Chelsea.
While Klopp hasn’t ruled out making a move in the final week of the transfer window, he has intimated that Liverpool is content to stick with their present choices, despite the fact that recent experience has shown that they cannot be prepared for every circumstance.
“Ibou is a doubt,” the Reds manager stated. “Playing 40 minutes with only ten men did not help.” He has a strained muscle (injury).
“It’s always ‘we could do this, we could do that’ in this room.” Maybe one day you’ll sit in my chair and have to deal with everything else as well.
“In an ideal world, we’d have six, seven, eight center halves and be covered for everything; right now, we have to be lucky with injuries, there’s no doubt about it.” I have no doubts about the caliber of our players.
“(Jarell) Quansah is also a very talented player here.” We are currently covered. It’s not a dreamland where you can be prepared for any eventuality – we had to discover that a few times in the past.
“We will do our absolute best in the coming week to have a squad that can react to pretty much anything.” Is that even possible? We’ll see.”
Despite picking up a knock against Bournemouth, Trent Alexander-Arnold will be ready, but this weekend’s game has come too soon for Thiago Alcantara and Curtis Jones.
“Trent, yes, Thiago from Monday on, Curtis from Monday on,” Klopp stated.
