Star Reds pair out of Leeds United clash as Liverpool await European trip with eight sidelined
Leeds United will not face two Reds star men in Saturday evening’s Premier League clash at Liverpool who have had eight players out ahead of midweek Champions League duty.
Key attacking pair Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota will both definitely miss the weekend’s contest against the Whites for which Joel Matip, Arthur Melo and Naby Keita also look set to miss out. Diaz suffered a knee injury in the 3-2 defeat at Arsenal earlier this month, after which Reds boss Jurgen Klopp said that he expected the Colombian international star to be out for between six and eight weeks.
Jota, meanwhile, was stretchered off with a serious calf muscle injury during this month’s 1-0 win at home to Manchester City and the Portugal international attacker is facing a matter of the months on the sidelines. Matip also suffered an injury in the loss against the Gunners and Klopp has said it will be tight as to whether the defender returns before the break for the World Cup. Brazilian international forward Arthur Melo is another longer-term injury having picked up a thigh injury in this month’s Champions League thrashing of Rangers at Anfield.
The list of Liverpool's injuries is completed by Darwin Nunez, Thiago Alcantara, Ibrahima Konate and Keita but the former trio could return for Wednesday night's Champions League clash against Ajax in Amsterdam. Nunez missed Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest with a muscle injury but the Uruguayan striker is expected to be back to face Ajax. Thiago Alcantara also missed out against Forest due to an ear infection.
Keita has missed most of the season so far but was set to resume training this week in addition to Konate who also injured himself against Rangers. Klopp said on Saturday as quoted by liverpoolfc.com: "Ibou will train from tomorrow and Naby as well, but Naby is far off so he starts training now after a long period."
Of Matip, Klopp said on Friday: “Everything is going well, but he needs a bit of time. I think with him it will be tight until the World Cup break, hopefully the last two or three games he might be in contention, but I don't know yet. It is all going in the right direction."