NewsLFC injury update: Mac Allister, Robertson, Thiago and Bajcetic

The Argentinian has been sidelined since sustaining an injury against Sheffield United early in December, but is on the cusp of rejoining sessions with the squad.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday morning, Reds boss Jürgen Klopp said: “Macca, we will see what he can do today – if he can step into team training or not.

“The decision is not done yet, it’s pretty early and the Doc is not here; or maybe he is here but I didn’t see him yet. So, we will see.”

Andy Robertson remains out of contention, however, with the left-back’s rehabilitation from shoulder surgery in October likely to continue across the first month of 2024.

“Robbo still needs more range in his shoulder,” said Klopp. “Obviously it was a big surgery. [He is] still not even close to team training or whatever.

“Can do a lot, everything without using the arm properly, which is obviously good but on the other side shows us we still have a long way to go. For sure, I think, the full January he has to get closer and closer.”

Klopp was also asked if there is a possibility of Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic being back in January, and replied: “I am actually not 100 per cent sure.

“I think Thiago will be at one point in team training. With Stefan, if you ask Stefan how he feels, he says ‘good’. ‘Could you train?’ Yes, he could. It’s just we have to be sensible. That’s how it is.

“It’s a growing issue, it’s not growing [increasing] but because of his growing, his age and stuff like this. So we just have to be careful. He could train today fully and then maybe tomorrow as well and then not [for] five weeks. It’s a medical decision, it’s not by the boy, it’s not by me.

“It’s just that’s how you have to do it if something like this happens. And that makes it so annoying for the boy.

“Thiago is in a very good moment as well but we just have to make sure we don’t use him then too early. The hip thing in and around that area is just a long-term thing as well.

“There were for sure days where he could have easily trained but it’s all about how can he be back then in the long term, and that’s what we are working on.”