Liverpool v Newcastle United: Team news
Alisson Becker and Naby Keita will miss Liverpool’s meeting with Newcastle United, but Jürgen Klopp has no fresh injuries to contend with following the international break.
Klopp said during Friday’s pre-match press conference that Alisson ‘looks good and is improving’, although the goalkeeper remains sidelined with the calf issue he suffered last month.
“It was a really serious injury in the calf. It is now much better, of course, and that’s good for us and good for him, but we don’t know exactly [how long it will be],” the manager reported.
“The target was always after the next international break [that] he could be ready, but we don’t know. So, as I said, there is no pressure and hopefully everything will be fine for the rest of the season, that’s the plan.”
Keita, meanwhile, is ‘close, much closer than Ali’ to a return after the hip problem he picked up in August, with Klopp indicating that the midfielder may resume training following next week’s Champions League trip to Napoli.
However, while Saturday’s game will come too soon for his No.8, the boss went on to state that the fitness of the rest of his squad - long-term absentees Nathaniel Clyne and Paul Glatzel aside - ‘looks quite OK in the moment’.
PL, 2019-20 PL, 2019-20
Visitors Newcastle will be without Sean Longstaff on Saturday due to an ankle injury sustained in training.
Matt Ritchie (ankle/foot) and Dwight Gayle (calf) are also unavailable, along with Allan Saint-Maximin (thigh) and former Liverpool striker Andy Carroll.
DeAndre Yedlin (groin) and Florian Lejeune (knee) are yet to feature for the Magpies this season.
Speaking to the media about the challenge awaiting his side at Anfield, Newcastle manager Steve Bruce said: “They have not lost there for two-and-a-half years and they are the European champions. We will have to catch them on an off day.
“Up front [Liverpool] are as good as I’ve seen, so we’ll have to defend well.”
Last time out
Burnley 0-3 Liverpool (August 31): Adrian, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Henderson, Mane, Salah, Firmino.
Newcastle United 1-1 Watford (August 31): Dubravka, Schar, Lascelles, Dummett, Krafth, Willems, Hayden, Longstaff, Almiron, Atsu, Joelinton.